On November 28, 2025, the 19th Pharmaceutical Development Award Ceremony was held in Beijing. Attending the event were former State Councilor and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress Chen Zhili, as well as Academicians Zhang Boli, Chen Kaixian, Zhang Gaiping, Yue Jianmin, Wang Junzhi, and Xia Ningshao, along with more than 300 experts and scholars from renowned universities, research institutions, and medical organizations.

Liu Jiankai, Director and Vice President of Kangtai Biological and Executive Deputy General Manager of Minhai Biological, was awarded the “Outstanding Achievement Award.” The Pharmaceutical Development Award, established in 1994 by the National Science and Technology Awards Office, recognizes distinguished scientific and technological talents who have achieved groundbreaking innovations in the fields of medicine and health.

Following the awards ceremony, a series of academic exchanges were held. Among them, the Vaccine Innovation Forum—themed “Focusing on the Cutting Edge, Fostering Interdisciplinary Integration, and Driving Translational Applications”—was co-organized by Beijing Minhai Biotechnology Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kintor Pharmaceutical. The event brought together leading experts, including academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, distinguished university scholars, medical specialists, and industry representatives, who convened to discuss前沿 issues in global vaccine research and development as well as pathways for industrialization.

Academician Zhang Gaiping shares “My Perspective on Vaccines”: Upholding the Foundations of Tradition While Pursuing Long-Term Innovation

Academician Zhang Gaiping of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at Peking University delivered an academic talk titled “My Perspective on Vaccines.” Starting with a review of current vaccine knowledge, Academician Zhang conducted an in-depth analysis of the strengths and limitations of traditional vaccine development, as well as its technical constraints. Drawing on the history of vaccine innovation, he outlined promising avenues for future breakthroughs—such as antigen design, adjuvant strategies, and mRNA vaccines—while emphasizing the need to continually pursue new advances.

Breakthrough in the Development of a Vaccine Against Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

In his report, “Research and Translation of an Original Superbug Vaccine,” Professor Zou Quanming of the National Engineering Research Center for Immunobiological Products at the Army Medical University stated: “Superbugs have become a global public health crisis. Among them, Klebsiella pneumoniae is the most virulent, with a mortality rate as high as 40%–50%, accounting for approximately 800,000 deaths worldwide each year and earning the title ‘king of superbugs.’ To date, no targeted vaccine has yet been developed. Our team screened 6,000 candidate molecules from Klebsiella pneumoniae and identified highly effective protective components, achieving a consistent protection rate exceeding 80% against infection by clinical strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae in a pneumonia animal model. Currently, the Army Medical University, in collaboration with Kangtai Minhai, is undertaking key technological research on a Klebsiella pneumoniae vaccine, leveraging reverse vaccinology to develop a novel recombinant multivalent combination vaccine. We are striving to successfully develop the world’s first Klebsiella pneumoniae vaccine at an early stage, thereby benefiting global health.”

According to data from the World Health Organization and other institutions, China’s high-risk groups for Klebsiella pneumoniae infections include over 50 million hospitalized surgical patients annually, more than 100 million people with diabetes, and approximately 100 million individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Globally, the number of people living with diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exceeds 800 million and 600 million, respectively, underscoring the vaccine’s substantial market potential.

Hepatitis B Vaccine: Offering New Hope for Clinical Cure of Hepatitis B

In a series of presentations on hepatitis B prevention and treatment, Professor Zheng Sujun, Director of the First Department at the Liver Disease Center of Beijing You’an Hospital, Affiliated to Capital Medical University, and doctoral supervisor, together with Dr. Lin Ang, Director of the Center for Pathogen Diagnostics and Vaccine Technology Innovation at China Pharmaceutical University, highlighted the critical role of the hepatitis B vaccine in the management of chronic hepatitis B, examining it from two perspectives: its clinical utility and advances in research and development.

Professor Zheng Sujun pointed out that re‑positive HBsAg following serum HBsAg clearance reduces the clinical cure rate for hepatitis B, while seroconversion to anti‑HBs and sustained antibody levels are critical factors in preventing re‑positivity. Hepatitis B vaccination can increase the rate of anti‑HBs seroconversion and elevate antibody titers, thereby lowering the rate of HBsAg re‑positivity.

Multivalent, multicomponent vaccines represent an important direction in the development of the vaccine industry.

Zhang Yuntao, Chief Scientist and Vice President of China National Biotec Group, analyzed the current state of development in both domestic and international vaccine industries in his report, “Innovative Development of Chinese Vaccines.” He systematically outlined the R&D trends shaping China’s vaccine sector, emphasizing that multivalent, combination vaccines remain a key direction for future industry growth. He called on stakeholders in the vaccine industry to strengthen original innovation, enhance the sector’s resilience to risks, and, by optimizing the competitive landscape, foster world-class, internationally competitive enterprises, thereby bolstering the global competitiveness of domestically produced vaccines.

In addition, Liu Jiankai, Director and Vice President of Kangtai Biological and Executive Deputy General Manager of Minhai Biological, shared insights into the technological innovations behind the bivalent‑carrier 13‑valent pneumococcal vaccine and outlined future directions for pneumococcal vaccine development. Meanwhile, Yin Siyuan, Chief Operating Officer of Chuanxin Biological, provided a detailed overview of advances in cancer vaccines based on tumor‑associated antigens, sparking profound reflection and lively discussion among the attending experts and scholars.

As one of China’s leading vaccine companies, Kangtai Minhai has, since its inception, remained committed to advancing the “Healthy China” mission through innovative research and development. Under the leadership of a team of technically skilled executives, including Liu Jiankai, the company has undertaken nine national research projects sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the National Development and Reform Commission, and has received four provincial- and ministerial-level science and technology awards, including the Second Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress from Beijing. To date, it has successfully developed, industrialized, and brought to market 12 vaccine products. Notably, its quadrivalent combination vaccine was the first of its kind in China, while its dual‑carrier 13‑valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was the world’s first; both products have subsequently been included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (Volume III). Proactively positioning itself for the future, the company is developing groundbreaking vaccines, such as a super‑drug‑resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae vaccine, a DTaP‑Hib‑sIPV pentavalent vaccine, and a Class 1 new drug—a quadrivalent inactivated enterovirus vaccine—and has already established the R&D foundation for a hexavalent vaccine combining DTaP‑Hib‑sIPV‑HepB. Since the beginning of this year, the company has also embarked on the development of the first hepatitis B vaccine designed to prevent viral rebound in treated patients, marking its official entry into the multi‑hundred‑billion‑yuan hepatitis B treatment market and positioning it to become one of China’s pioneering enterprises covering the entire hepatitis B care continuum—prevention, treatment, and prevention of viral rebound.

This year’s receipt of the “Outstanding Achievement Award” marks further societal recognition of Kangtai Minhai’s corporate innovation DNA. Moving forward, Kangtai Minhai looks forward to forging broader collaborations and exchanges with industry peers, pooling greater wisdom and strength to drive global vaccine innovation.