(Yicai Global) July 11 -- Chinese biopharma company Changchun BCHT Biotechnology is anticipating net profit to surge as much as 63.1 percent in the first six months from a year ago thanks to its new vaccine for herpes zoster, also known as shingles, which was given the greenlight to go to market in China in January.

Net profit is set to reach between CNY105 million (USD14.6 million) and CNY120 million in the six months ended June 30, a year-on-year gain of between 42.7 percent and 63.1 percent, the Changchun, northeastern Jilin province-based company said yesterday.

The herpes zoster vaccine, which is the first of its kind to be developed in China, is gradually being rolled out in 20 provincial-level regions, the company said. It is one of only two such vaccines available in China, with the other being supplied by UK pharma giant GSK.

Sales of shingles vaccines in China will reach CNY10.8 billion (USD1.5 billion) in 2025, and then nearly triple to CNY28.1 billion by 2030, according to US market research firm Frost & Sullivan.

Competition is intense in the herpes zoster jab field now, with at least four under development in China. Luzhu Biotechnology plans to apply for regulatory approval for its recombinant vaccine, LZ901, in the third quarter next year.

BCHT Biotechnology’s share price [SHA:688276] closed down 0.6 percent at CNY60.62 (USD8.42) today.

Editors: Shi Yi, Kim Taylor