Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (Sinovac) has announced that it has initiated the Inactivated New Human Influenza (H5N1) Vaccine Research and Development Project.

Based on the protocol, it is expected to finish pre-clinical research by the end of this year. A professional workshop was held by the Chinese "Bird-Human Infection Prevention and Control Team" in Beijing on Feb. 11, 2004. Mr. Xiaoping DONG and Mr. Dexin Li from China CDC and Dr. Weidong Yin, President of Sinovac Biotech Ltd., presented the "New Human Influenza Vaccine Research and Development Protocol." The Control Team subsequently decided to initiate the New Human Influenza Vaccine R&D project.

The Science and Technology Team of the National Headquarters for Highly Infectious Avian Flu officially issued the project document. This document lists the New Human Influenza Vaccine R&D project in the first group of projects for Highly Infectious Avian Flu Prevention and Control Programs and assigns the task to China CDC, Sinovac, China National Biotech Corporation, and NICPBP. Moreover, Sinovac and the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention of China CDC jointly developed the first-ever Inactivated SARS vaccine.