A domestically produced vaccine to combat the deadly biological weapon anthrax has been approved for the first time. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 8th that it has approved the genetically engineered anthrax vaccine "Baritrax" (adherent anthrax vaccine) applied for by GC Biopharma.
Anthrax is caused by anthrax bacteria that live in soil. It is a Class 1 legally mandated infectious disease with a mortality rate of 97% if not treated early. The anthrax bacteria are highly toxic and can be used as a biological weapon. In 2001, a bioterrorism incident occurred in the U.S. involving mail containing anthrax powder, resulting in 5 deaths.
"Baritrax" works on the principle that the human body experiences anthrax proteins in a weakened form and induces antibodies against them. GC Biopharma produced the vaccine using a recombinant method by inserting genes that create two anthrax toxin proteins into microbial DNA and cultivating and purifying them.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety explained that it formed a dedicated review team to focus on the safety, efficacy, and quality of the product, and conducted a comprehensive review of the results from external expert consultations, including infectious disease specialists, and assessments by the Central Pharmaceutical Review Committee before granting final approval.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "We expect that this will help strengthen the self-sufficiency of anthrax vaccines to proactively respond to national crisis situations such as bioterrorism infectious diseases," adding, "We will continue to ensure that necessary medicines are supplied for national health security so that the public can live without concern."