KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 5): Bintai Kinden Corp Bhd’s partner Generex Biotechnology Corp has signed a framework agreement for the development and commercialisation of the Ii-Key-SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus vaccine in China.

In a statement today, Bintai Kinden said its partner signed the agreement with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Beijing Guoxin Haixiang Equity Investment Partnership and Beijing Youfeng International Consulting Co Ltd.

It said Generex will receive upfront development fees and back-end licensing payment under the framework agreement.

The partners will conduct the research and development (R&D) and pay 100% of the funding required for the commercial approval for the Ii-Key-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, including laboratory work, manufacturing, regulatory filings and the clinical development programme for regulatory approval for the vaccine in China.

Bintai Kinden said the Ii-Key-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is designed as a "complete vaccine" with potential to induce T cell and antibody immune responses in a highly specific manner that can provide protective immunity with long-lasting immunologic memory against SARS-CoV-2 and other pandemic threats like Covid-19 and swine flu.

Bintai Kinden managing director Ong Choon Lui said the partnership among Generex, China CDC, Beijing Guoxin Haixiang and Beijing Youfeng reaffirmed the potential of the Ii-Key technology for regulation of the immune system to develop safe and effective vaccines for infectious disease and cancer.

“The involvement of China’s state-owned fund and cooperation at the highest government level through China CDC increases the likelihood of success of the vaccine commercialisation efforts”, he added.

Bintai Kinden’s subsidiary Bintai Healthcare Sdn Bhd in October signed a distribution and licensing agreement with Generex and its subsidiary NuGenerex Immuco-Oncology Inc for their Covid-19 vaccine in Malaysia.

Under the agreement, Bintai Kinden said, Bintai Healthcare is granted the exclusive rights to distribute, sell and commercialise the Covid-19 vaccine in Malaysia, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

“It will also have the right of first refusal to commercially exploit the vaccine within New Zealand, Australia and the global halal market,” said Bintai Kinden.

At the time of writing today, shares in Bintai Kinden had risen one sen or 1.54% to 66 sen, bringing its market capitalisation to RM210.07 million.