CanSino Biologics Inc (CanSinoBIO) said it has filed an application in China for approval of its Covid-19 vaccine to become the country’s third locally developed shot allowed for use by the general public.

CanSinoBIO said interim analysis of data from its multi-country trial showed that its candidate, known as Ad5-nCoV, has an efficacy rate of 65.28 per cent at preventing all symptomatic cases and 90.07pc at preventing severe disease 28 days after a single dose has been given.

But the one-dose vaccine showed its protection rate declined slightly over time; it had a success rate of 68.83pc at preventing all symptomatic disease and 95.47pc at preventing severe disease 14 days after the vaccination, Reuters reported.