Brazilian officials have announced an agreement with China's Sinovac Biotech to produce its coronavirus vaccine in the state of Sao Paulo, where tests involving 9,000 volunteers are to begin next month.

Sao Paulo governor Joao Doria told a news conference that the Butantan Institute, Brazil's leading research centre, had reached a technology transfer agreement with Sinovac Biotech.

“The studies show that the vaccine could be distributed by June 2021” if tests prove conclusive, Doria said.

Sinovac Biotech, one of four Chinese laboratories authorised to conduct clinical vaccine trials, said a month ago that it was prepared to produce 100 million doses of the vaccine under the commercial name Coronavac.