'Tried and True'

"It's a tried and true strategy," said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, about inactivated vaccine technology.

"If I had to pick a vaccine that I think would be the most likely to be safe and effective, it would be that one," he said. Offit is also co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, RotaTeq , manufactured by Merck & Co Inc.

Four of the Chinese candidates in human trials are inactivated vaccines, including Sinovac's and two vaccines from China National Biotec Group (CNBG), a unit of state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).

There are currently only two experimental Covid-19 vaccines in final Phase III trials - one from Sinopharm and another from AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. Sinovac's is set to become the third later this month.

To speed up the process, China allowed Sinopharm and Sinovac to combine Phase I and Phase II trials for their vaccine candidates.

For CanSino's experimental vaccine, the PLA research institute played a key role, with the two working on a method using an adenovirus - a similar approach to AstraZeneca's.

The PLA has its own approval process for "military specifically-needed drugs", and approved the military use of the candidate developed by its research unit and CanSino last month.

PLA lead scientist Chen Wei, who has been the face of its vaccine development effort, was among the first to take the experimental Covid-19 shot developed by her team, as well a s its potential SARS treatment years before, according to state media.

Challanges

China has challenges, though, as the epidemic has petered out in the country, hampering efforts to conduct large trials.

It has since shifted its focus overseas, but only a handful of countries have shown willingness to collaborate - UAE, Canada, Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico. Neither major European countries nor the United States have shown interest in China's Covid-19 vaccines as they focus on their own projects.

China must also address concerns over its vaccine quality and safety issues following several scandals over substandard vaccines in recent years.

"The Chinese national regulatory authority has been improving its oversight," said Jerome Kim, head of the International Vaccine Institute, a non-profit agency established as an initiative of the UN Development Programme.

China leads Covid-19 vaccine race
1 DAY AGO
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China, where the new coronavirus is thought to have originated, brings state, military and private sectors together in a quest to combat a disease that has killed over 500,000 people worldwide.
A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a
A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a "Vaccine Covid-19" sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken April 10, 2020. (Reuters)
China has been forging ahead in the race to develop a vaccine to help control the Covid-19 pandemic, with Sinovac Biotech's experimental vaccine set to become the country's second and the world's third to enter final stage testing later this month.

While a laggard in the global vaccine industry, China, where the new coronavirus is thought to have originated, has brought state, military and private sectors together in a quest to combat a disease that has killed over 500,000 people worldwide.

Many other countries, including the United States, are coordinating closely with the private sector to try to win the vaccine development race, and China faces many challenges.

Its success in driving down Covid-19 infections makes it harder to conduct large-scale vaccine trials, and so far only a few other countries have agreed to work with it.

After past vaccine scandals, Beijing will also have to convince the world it has met all safety and quality requirements.

But China's use of command economy-type tools is so far yielding results.

A state-controlled entity, for example, completed two vaccine plants at what it called the "war time speed" of a couple of months, while state-owned enterprises and the military have allowed experimental shots to be used on staff.

The People's Liberation Army's (PLA) medical research unit, which has been a driving force in China's efforts to fight infectious diseases, is also working with private firms including CanSino to develop Covid-19 vaccines.

Challenging the West's traditional dominance of the industry, China is behind eight of the 19 vaccine candidates in human trials, with Sinovac's experimental shot and one jointly developed by the military and CanSino among the front runners.

It is also focused mainly on inactivated vaccine technology - a technology that is well known and has been used to make vaccines against diseases such as influenza and measles - something which could raise the chances of success.

By contrast, several Western rivals such as US-based Moderna and Germany's CureVac and BioNTech are using a new technology called messenger RNA that has never before yielded a product approved by regulators.

READ MORE: J&J moves up start of coronavirus vaccine human trials to July

At war time speed', China leads Covid-19 vaccine race
China has brought state, military and private sectors together in a quest to combat the coronavirus.
China has brought state, military and private sectors together in a quest to combat the coronavirus.PHOTO: REUTERS
PUBLISHEDJUL 7, 2020, 9:18 PM SGT
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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/at-war-time-speed-china-leads-covid-19-vaccine-race

https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2020/07/09/after-auditor-flags-doubts-airasia-says-confident-business-will-continue-af/1882877

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3092107/singapore-malaysia-border-opening-decision-august

AirAsia confident in continuation of business despite unqualified opinion by auditor
TheEdge Thu, Jul 09, 2020 11:33am - 48 minutes ago


KUALA LUMPUR (July 9): AirAsia Group Bhd said it is confident in the continuation of its business despite an emphasis of matter by its auditor highlighting significant uncertainties for the low-cost carrier to continue as a going concern given the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, it said its business will be supported by actions undertaken by the governments of countries it operates in and the outcome of ongoing discussions with financial institutions and investors to obtain the required funding and implementation of management’s action plans.

“The first half of 2020 was extremely challenging. However, in recent weeks, countries around the world resumed domestic travel and were gradually reopening international borders in recognition that air transport provides the connectivity that is essential for the resumption of economic activities.

“The formation and discussion of ‘travel bubbles’ and ‘green lanes’ with key economic partners with a low infection rate and proven pandemic curbing system are a step in the right direction,” said AirAsia group chief executive officer (CEO) Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

He added that the group had resumed flights on a “staggered yet steady” basis since late May as domestic travel restarted in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India and the Philippines.

The group had also launched promotions and campaigns, generating higher-than-expected sales, said Fernandes, pointing out that the group saw a total of 75,000 seats sold in a single day on Tuesday — a sign of pent-up demand.

The group has also sold over 200,000 AirAsia Unlimited Passes since the recent launch for domestic Malaysia, domestic Thailand and AirAsia X.

“Positive trends of our flight bookings and load factors are additional signals of a better second half of the year. In June, our group-wide load factor was 60% with AirAsia Malaysia’s load factor reaching 65%. For July, we expect to achieve a higher load factor of 70% despite tripling our capacity month-on-month to cater to increasing demand,” Fernandes said.

“As a great believer in Asean, we remain confident in the growth potential of the region. In the IMF’s (International Monetary Fund) latest World Economic Outlook, Asean-5’s GDP (gross domestic product) growth was expected to rebound strongly to 6.2% in 2021, one of the highest growth rates in the world.

“We’re confident that AirAsia will not only benefit from this growth upturn but also contribute to the region’s recovery given the significant role that air connectivity plays in Asean’s trade and investment landscape,” he added.

He also touched on the group’s funding plans, pointing out that the group had received various forms of proposals and were in numerous discussions with banks, lenders as well as investors.

AirAsia had received indications from certain financial institutions to support its request for funding, amounting to more than RM1 billion, said Fernandes.

He emphasised that a certain portion of the loan would be eligible for a government guarantee loan under the Danajamin Prihatin Guarantee Scheme.

Meanwhile, the group’s Philippine and Indonesian entities are in various stages of bank loan applications. It is also applying for a government guarantee loan under the Philippine Economic Stimulus Act (PESA).

On the cost side of its operations, the group has taken measures including headcount rationalisation as well as a group-wide temporary salary reduction of between 15% and 75% to ensure its working capital remains intact.

“We have received deferrals from our supportive lessors and are now working on further extensions. We have also restructured 70% of our fuel hedging contracts and are continuously negotiating with our supportive counterparties for the remaining exposure.

“All in all, we expect at least 50% reduction in our cash expenses in 2020,” said Fernandes.

On Tuesday, a Bursa Malaysia filing by AirAsia stated that its auditor Ernst & Young PLT had issued an unqualified audit opinion on the material uncertainty relating to the group’s going concern given the current economic climate and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The auditor noted that AirAsia posted a net loss of RM283 million for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2019 (FY19), and that its current liabilities exceeded its current assets by RM1.84 billion.

At 10.30am, AirAsia had gained 3.5 sen or 4.96% to 74 sen, giving it a market capitalisation of RM2.47 billion.

Read also:
AirAsia says it aims to raise RM2.4 billion via debts and equity









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AAX 0.095
AIRASIA 0.750
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Comments

DickyMe IB's in Malaysia are managed by crooks just like the politicians

Street Smart...Power...!!!

AirAsia confident in continuation of business despite unqualified opinion by auditor | https://www.klsescreener.com/v2/news/view/699879

xuxu @geary good, wish you win big ! haha

U too...will give back as charity...!!!

xuxu @ geary wow bought at 0.68, are you still holding ?

Yup...wait see how in the afternoon...or Friday morning...(. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)

Although AA has poor performance, it is valuable and honest!

This is why investors support AA!

U can buy...trade...short-sell... remember to take profit when it's very green...n to buy when it's very red...ʘ‿ʘ

AirAsia get banks’ nod for RM1b funding | https://www.klsescreener.com/v2/news/view/699855

greedy44444 To those daredevils that managed to get below 70 cents...congrats ! Can sell half or all to collect your well-deserved profit.

Too much IQ...n so calculative with numbers sure backfires... hehehe...(•‿•)

xuxu bought 0.7 sold 0.75 good luck to you all !

Power day trading...◉‿◉

Investman1981 Dunno that Could be MAS 2?

MAS apa ada...makan darah rakyat...!!!

Added 1 Ton...@0.68...!!!

Will you continue to support AA codes in the second half?

Ha...Just like Liverpool...Miracle in Istanbul...I thought of throwing away my betting tickets...after kena teruk 3-0...First half...what a comeback...hohoho...!!!

tomorrow Finance Ministry announces fiscal package for AirAsia ...lol!

That's EQ... quality of a great traders...!!!

joyvest suspension is not lifted so soon ...........

AA n gang can kaotim very fast one...why worry...Q...@0.50...｡◕‿◕｡

joyvest in future, if you see EPF dumps , just follow them as well...........dump without hesitation...

That's why your return just like EPF...LOL...!!!

abang_misai TF don’t have any more money to kaw-tim” the auditors.

You think without his Sifu Branson...n others...TF no others... taekwondo knockouts Ada...maybe some others big yuan dynasty...!!!

Bobii Airasia also make loss prior to covid. Go see 2019 FY net loss hundred of millions

Very hard to explain to people don't know 2009 is what day at that time...on 2008...then what about 2000...MAS since SIA separated lost money until now...tak boleh still want to learn from Japan...wait long long...learn from Bangladesh maybe...!!!

ocpd >> The big question is who will be buying to absorb the shares thrown out to the market?

Funds ibs spa tahu... graduated from top schools in US or UK...then talk big...just earn a small salary...they think they are Tan Sri...!!!...cannot break also must break... habits strengthen a person characters...◉‿◉

123eztrade will be just like MAS... expected

MAS without Covid-19 long time already bankrupt for so many years...tak malu...still sitting inside n dig money...make Malaysia malu only...!!!

The big question is who will be buying to absorb the shares thrown out to the market?

That's why must funds have low return of investment...only those private individuals funds...not listening to big elephants...will be more daring to buy n sell...as they like...lot of private freedoms...But do you know when to buy n when to sell...!!!

Bobii @geary. Now I also feel sad for you. I forgot tony fans are made from metal

Buying n selling shares nothing to feel sorry...if macam ini...Better keep your money in the bank...n let those bank IBs...gamble for you...!!!

abang_misai All institutional funds will start selling at 2.30pm. Full stop.

Not much institutions funds left, even EPF sold quite a lumps, some foreign funds, plus insiders...That's it why...linger around this Price...!!!

Bobii Because he has been over confident the past 2 days and keep shouting buy
08/07/2020 12:49 PM

It ain't over...AA Budget Brand will survive...AAX not so sure...the world without Borders...how nice...even vaccine...take times for everyone to detach from the Fear...!!!

i3lurker TP = 25 sen
Real Investor discounted from Affin TP of 31 sen

These things you ask mabel...meow meow meow...!!!

Bobii Feel sad for @daily8. Degil bull hahaha

You take care your backsides first...you aren't make of gold...!!!

ocpd wow AA triggers PN17 ... unbelievable!

Covid19...Someone knew it...but never tell the actual date...Because cannot be told the actual truth...Heaven Will...So play with it...we are just human beings with so much ignorant...!!!

PN17 2.30pm Market open, AirAsia straight away limit down

Q already...@0.50...!!!

amircesc4 10sen rather expensive now

Present floor value is...@0.50...But it keep on changing every Quater...!!!

kata888 Watching comments here is more entertaining that watching stocks

Stocks what's there to watch...Buy low...Sell high...very simple lol...!!!

AIRASIA
0.855
(%)
AIRASIA - RESUMPTION OF TRADING
AIRASIA GROUP BERHAD

Kindly be advised that trading in AIRASIA's shares will resume with effect from 2.30 p.m., Wednesday, 8 July 2020. Accordingly, trading in the structured warrants relating to AIRASIA will also resume at the same time.



Your attention is drawn to the Company's announcement dated 8 July 2020.


Announcement Info
Company Name AIRASIA GROUP BERHAD
Stock Name AIRASIA
Date Announced 08 Jul 2020
Category Listing Circular
Reference Number ILC-08072020-00020

strattegist wait.

Wait 2.30pm lol...Happening lol...!!!

faraday9933m first QR is bad . try to think about second QR . SPEECHLESS.

Bankruptcy...!!!

Remember, bulls make money bears make money pigs get slaughtered.

Druckenmiller is a PIG...hehehe...!!!

pBlue It is expected. Airlines are very cyclic. Happens every recession, although not as bad as this situation. If you buy now, and AA survives the next year, you can easily see AA share prices go back to RM3 by 2023, and will have less competition too as all the smaller budget airlines would have gone bust. But if AA falters and goes bankrupt, you lose everything.

Golden opportunity or deadly poison....

High Risk...High Reward...AA Budget Brand is the Key...Now I tell U...!!!

SK92 limit down limit down limit down limit down

Hentam Kuat kuat...!!!

https://www.klsescreener.com/v2/announcements/view/3189759

Ha..lady usually has better...EQ...!!!
08/07/2020 11:37 AM

AA has many suitors...she is waiting n choosing the one with the best EQ...n not so much...IQ...only thinking of numbers...she is looking for high Intrinsic Value...!!!

AIRASIA - Trading Halt | https://www.klsescreener.com/v2/announcements/view/3189715

https://www.klsescreener.com/v2/announcements/view/3189755

Mabel @Daily8 And these IBs may twist their previous TP again lol
08/07/2020 11:19 AM

Ha..lady usually has better...EQ...!!!

Daily8 The suspended AA could be due to Investment Bankers down sell the stock price.

Dramatic turns of events...they knew these... that's how people profited by creating bad n good news...AA just announced one thing...I have the $$$...to shore up my equity funds, working capital for a year, preference shareholders, etc... Upswinging again...◉‿◉

Daily8 TODAY WE RECEIVED NEWS THAT BANK OPR REDUCED ANOTHER 25 BASIS POINTS TO 1.75%.

More trading activities n more volatility...good for day n especially swing traders...Bursa at present better than most countries in SEA...!!!

Maybank cuts base rate to 1.75% from 2% following OPR revision | https://www.klsescreener.com/v2/news/view/699005

AA-OurShop...!!!
https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/airasias-ourshop-partners-fama-sell-fresh-and-frozen-produce