mpox Photo: VCG

Chinese biochemical companies are striving to maximize production capacity for mpox test kits as cases are spreading around the world.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday launched a global Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to stop outbreaks of human-to-human transmission of mpox. This followed the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO Director-General on August 14. These developments drove up shares of related Chinese companies on Tuesday, with some in the A-share market exceeding their daily limits shortly after the opening.

Hainan-based Poly Pharm closed more than 8 percent higher at 10.77 yuan ($1.51). Nanjing Hicin Pharmaceutical Co closed at 23.26 yuan after surging over 20 percent and hitting the daily limit shortly after the opening.

DaAn Gene, a test kit maker based in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, recently revealed that its mpox virus acid test kit had received CE certification, meaning the kits can be exported to the EU. An employee with DaAn Gene Co confirmed with the Global Times on Tuesday that the kits have been exported to countries in the EU and Africa.

An employee of another test kit producer, Sansure Biotech Inc, said that the company makes and exports mpox test kits and has obtained certifications from some countries.

Some Chinese companies are in the early stages of work on mpox vaccines. For example, an employee of Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products Co told the Global Times that the firm's mpox vaccine is in the pre-clinical research stage.

CanSino Biologics Inc recently responded to inquiries on sns.sseinfo.com, a public forum for investors and companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, stating that it had completed initial antigen selection and preliminary work for an mpox vaccine.

According to the WHO, more than 120 countries have reported mpox cases between January 2022 and August 2024.