AB&B BIO-TECH-B (02627) announced the initiation of a Phase III clinical trial for its freeze-dried human rabies vaccine (HDCV). The investigational vaccine targets three immunization regimens. In November 2022, the company received approval from China's National Medical Products Administration for clinical trials of the Essen (5-dose) regimen, followed by supplementary approvals for the Zagreb (4-dose) and simplified 4-dose regimens in April 2023. The Phase I clinical trial for this vaccine candidate was completed in October 2024.

Rabies is a severe viral disease caused by the rabies virus, which can lead to symptoms such as confusion and progressive paralysis. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost invariably fatal, but timely vaccination post-exposure can prevent infection. The HDCV rabies vaccine, developed using human diploid cells, is recognized by the World Health Organization as the "gold standard" due to its strong safety profile. The company's investigational vaccine has demonstrated favorable safety characteristics in the completed Phase I trial.