Kyodo News, January 13th, by reporter: Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited announced on the 13th regarding the COVID-19 vaccine under development that it has applied to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for approval of production and sales. This vaccine is of the same type as the ones from American companies Pfizer and Moderna — "messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines" — and if put into practical use, it will be a first for a Japanese manufacturer. Daiichi Sankyo aims to put it into practical use within 2023.
The vaccine targets the original strain and is being applied for use as a third booster dose. In November 2022, the company announced that it had confirmed the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in a trial involving 5,000 participants. If approved, the vaccine will be produced at the factory of its subsidiary, Daiichi Sankyo Biotech (located in Kitamoto City, Saitama Prefecture). Clinical trials for its use as a first dose are currently underway using the same vaccine, with plans to submit an additional application for approval.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted to being predominantly driven by the Omicron variant. Daiichi Sankyo will utilize this vaccine to launch clinical trials addressing the Omicron variant in the 2023 fiscal year.
Regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, Shionogi & Co., Ltd. was the first among Japanese manufacturers to apply for approval from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in November 2022. This vaccine is referred to as a "recombinant protein vaccine," which is different from the type developed by Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited.