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HANGZHOU, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of China's Yangshengtang Group in eastern China's Zhejiang Province and Xiamen University have announced cooperation with British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), to do an evaluation for a recombinant protein-based vaccine candidate for COVID-19.

Gao Yongzhong, general manager of Xiamen Innovax, said that GSK will provide an adjuvant system that will be used in pre-clinical trials for a vaccine candidate developed by their company and Xiamen University.

"In combination with adjuvant system AS03, the recombinant protein-based vaccine candidate is expected to induce a high level of protective immunity to meet the urgent need for COVID-19 prevention," added Gao.

Thomas Breuer, GSK Vaccines chief medical officer, said that as one of their technological advantages, the adjuvant they produced can help enhance the body's immune response when it is added to the vaccine and an ideal combination is able to develop stronger and more durable immunity than a single vaccine.

"The use of adjuvant amid the COVID-19 pandemic is very important because it helps to produce more doses of vaccine and allows more people to be vaccinated," said Breuer.

According to GSK, the adjuvant can increase the immunogenicity, response speed and tolerance of antigens and meanwhile reduce their consumption. When the same dose of vaccine antigen meets an ideal adjuvant, it can produce more vaccines with the same effect at the same time, which is helpful to mass production of vaccines for the pandemic.

At the moment, the collaboration between the three parties includes pre-clinical trials in the first period and if it is detected to show good prospects, they will then start clinical trials.