AIM VACCINE (06660) announced that the Group has developed an optimized and upgraded 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine based on its 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. This new vaccine has recently received the "Drug Clinical Trial Approval Notice" issued by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), approving the commencement of clinical trials. Pneumococcal disease is a serious global public health issue and a significant cause of illness and death among both children and adults in China. The primary clinical treatment for pneumococcal diseases is antibiotics; however, due to the widespread use of antibiotics, the problem of pneumococcal drug resistance is becoming increasingly severe. The use of pneumococcal vaccines to prevent pneumococcal diseases and reduce bacterial resistance is particularly necessary and urgent. Pneumococcus is a major pathogen causing severe illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia in children, and it is also a common cause of acute otitis media and sinusitis. According to WHO estimates, approximately 8.8 million children under the age of 5 died globally in 2008, with about 476,000 of these deaths attributed to pneumococcal infections; the latest research published in 2018 indicated that approximately 294,000 children under 5 died from pneumococcal infections worldwide, with higher incidence and mortality rates in developing countries and regions compared to developed ones, and the majority of deaths occurring in Africa and Asia. Pneumococcus is also a significant cause of illness and death among infants and the elderly in China. The ten countries with the highest number of pneumococcal disease cases in children under 5 globally are all located in Africa and Asia, accounting for 66% of the total global cases, with China ranking second, responsible for 12% of the global total. In the WHO's classification of diseases preventable by vaccines, pneumococcal disease is categorized as requiring "very high priority" for prevention through vaccination. Leveraging the advantages of its polysaccharide conjugate vaccine technology platform and through continuous technological upgrades and innovation, the Group has developed a series of next-generation pneumococcal vaccine products, including the optimized and upgraded 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine based on the 13-valent version. This new vaccine adds 7 additional serotypes, covering a total of 20 major currently prevalent pneumococcal serotypes, and is intended to prevent invasive diseases (such as pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia) caused by these serotypes. It is designed for administration to individuals aged 2 months (minimum 6 weeks old) and above, to prevent infectious diseases caused by the 20 pneumococcal serotypes covered by the product. Currently, only Pfizer's Prevenar 20 is approved for marketing abroad, and no similar vaccine product has been approved for marketing in China. The approval for clinical trials of the iterative 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine signifies a further enrichment and enhancement of the Group's R&D pipeline in the field of pneumococcal vaccines. Moving forward, the Group will continue to focus on unmet clinical needs in core disease areas, advance the development of innovative vaccines, further enhance the company's innovation capability, core competitiveness, and comprehensive strength, provide more safe and effective vaccine products, and contribute to global disease prevention and control efforts. The approval for clinical trials of the iterative 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine signifies a further enrichment and enhancement of the Group's R&D pipeline in the field of pneumococcal vaccines. Moving forward, the Group will continue to focus on unmet clinical needs in core disease areas, advance the development of innovative vaccines, further enhance the company's innovation capability, core competitiveness, and comprehensive strength, provide more safe and effective vaccine products, and contribute to global disease prevention and control efforts.