A staff member displays samples of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine at Sinovac Biotech Ltd., in Beijing, capital of China, March 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Innovative Chinese biopharmaceutical firm CanSino Biologics Inc announced on Monday that a recombinant novel coronavirus vaccine (Ad5-nCoV) the company developed with a military research team has received special military drug approval, with a validity of one year.

Ad5-nCoV is currently limited to military use and cannot be expanded to a broader vaccination range without the approval of the Health Bureau of the Logistics Support Department under the Central Military Commission, the company said in a statement filed with Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd.

The vaccine is being jointly developed by CanSino and the Institute of Biotechnology under the Academy of Military Medical Sciences. The company said on March 18 that Ad5-nCoV had won approval for clinical trials.

Phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials for Ad5-nCoV have been conducted in China, with phase 2 trials unblinded on June 11, 2020, according to the company. Data from the clinical trials showed a good safety profile and high levels of humoral and cellular immune responses. The overall clinical results indicate Ad5-nCoV has the potential to prevent diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2.

It's worth noting that CanSino announced its collaboration with the Canadian National Research Council on clinical trials for the recombinant vaccine in May, though it didn't disclose further details.

Global Times