Securities Times reporter Wu Zhi
Affected by the continuous fermentation of overseas monkeypox epidemics, the stock prices of many A-share biological vaccine companies have risen sharply recently.
On the evening of May 23, companies such as Zhijiang Bio and Baike Bio responded to the stock price changes and explained the effect of the company's products on monkeypox virus.
In addition, Daan Gene, Dean Diagnostics, Shuo Shi Bio and other companies said that they have started the overseas registration of relevant testing products.
Several companies responded to the product situation
In response to the sharp rise in stock prices, on the evening of May 23, Zhijiang Bio responded that the World Health Organization has recently reported that more than 12 countries have reported a total of about 80 cases of monkeypox virus.
The monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kit (fluorescent PCR method) independently developed and produced by the company has been certified by the European Union CE, which can help the diagnosis and prevention of related diseases.
On the official website of Zhijiang Bio, there is a product introduction about the monkeypox kit.
According to the introduction, monkeypox occurs in monkeys in the rain forests of central and western Africa, and can occasionally infect humans. The clinical manifestations are similar to smallpox, but the disease is mild.
The main routes of infection include blood and body fluids.
The average mortality rate of monkeypox is 10%, especially among children infected with the highest mortality rate.
Zhijiang Bio said that the company's monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kit has the characteristics of high specificity, high sensitivity and simple operation by specifically detecting the nucleic acid fragments of monkeypox virus. Diagnosis of related diseases caused by infection.
Previously, Zhijiang Biology stated on the interactive platform that there have been small batch orders at home and abroad for monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kits.
The main products include 100 grams of varicella vaccine, and the stock price has also risen continuously in the past two trading days.
On May 23, Baike Bio announced that it had noticed that some media had published reports on cases of monkeypox virus infection in many countries, and published reports on listed companies with monkeypox virus-related products or technical reserves.
Baike Bio said that the company's chickenpox vaccine cannot prevent monkeypox, and the company currently has no products related to the prevention of monkeypox virus.
On the interactive platform, Baike Bio also conducted a detailed "popular science" on monkeypox virus.
Baike Bio said that monkeypox virus and smallpox virus belong to the genus Orthopoxvirus of the Poxviridae family. The main route of infection is blood and body fluids. Monkeypox is far less contagious than smallpox virus.
The company's varicella vaccine does not protect against monkeypox, nor does it prevent monkeypox virus-related products.
Among the recent rumors involving monkeypox, the drug acyclovir has attracted more attention.
On May 23, some investors successively asked West Point Pharmaceuticals, Yidianhong, Xinhua Pharmaceuticals and other companies about acyclovir and monkeypox treatment.
West Point Pharmaceuticals responded that the company's acyclovir tablets are used for the treatment of chickenpox in immunocompromised patients; Poinsettia also stated that the company's acyclovir for injection can be used for the treatment of chickenpox in immunocompromised patients.
Xinhua Pharma directly stated that acyclovir is an antiviral drug, and the company does not produce products for the treatment of monkeypox virus.
Advancing the registration of monkeypox detection products
In addition to Zhijiang Bio, there are many A-share companies that have products and capabilities related to monkeypox virus detection.
Recently, with the increasing number of overseas monkeypox confirmed cases, many investors on the interactive platform have asked relevant companies about the development progress of monkeypox-related products.
In this regard, Daan Gene stated on May 23 that the company has reserves of monkeypox virus-related scientific research products, and can provide "monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kits" (PCR- Fluorescent probe method) scientific research products.
However, there are currently no relevant certified reagents, which will not affect the company's current revenue and profits.
Daan Gene said that it will promote the domestic registration of the product in accordance with the relevant policies of the State Food and Drug Administration, and the company has started the EU CE registration of the product.
Dean Diagnostics said on the 23rd that the company's laboratory has the ability to detect monkeypox virus, and the monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kit developed by its subsidiary, Dean Biotech, is applying for EU CE certification.
Shuoshi Bio said that the company's product line includes monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kits (fluorescent PCR method), which are sold in the disease control and scientific research markets.
In recent years, this product has been sold in small quantities in some CDCs, customs, scientific research institutes and other institutions at home and abroad.
At the same time, the company has started the overseas registration of this product, including EU CE.
Anke Bio said that the company is also paying close attention to the epidemic situation, actively promoting the research and development reserve of monkeypox virus nucleic acid detection kits, and will decide whether to further promote the research and development of related products according to the follow-up situation.
Kaipu Biotech said that the company has laboratory detection capabilities for monkeypox virus, and has formed laboratory products that can be used for scientific research. The company will continue to pay attention to the dynamics of this matter.
15 countries have reported confirmed cases
The monkeypox outbreak has drawn wider attention partly because of the current rapid increase in confirmed cases and because of the emergence of monkeypox cases in a number of non-monkeypox-endemic countries without direct travel links to disease-endemic areas.
At present, the overseas monkeypox epidemic is still fermenting, and confirmed cases are still rising.
On May 23, CCTV quoted the BBC as reporting that as of May 22 local time, Israel, Switzerland and Austria had also reported confirmed cases of monkeypox in the past two days, and the number of countries reporting confirmed cases in this round has increased to 15.
On May 23, according to the Russian satellite news agency Weibo, the Argentine Ministry of Health announced that a resident of Buenos Aires province was suspected of being infected with monkeypox.
The patient is reported to have traveled to Spain.
In addition, many countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom have recently reported the discovery of new confirmed or suspected cases.
According to information released by the World Health Organization, as of May 22, local time, 108 confirmed cases and 91 suspected cases have been reported to 14 non-monkeypox-endemic countries and regions.
As surveillance expands, more monkeypox cases are expected globally.
Regarding the spread of monkeypox outbreaks, WHO previously stated that available information indicates that human-to-human transmission is occurring among people who have had close physical contact with symptomatic cases.