Hua Xia Shi Bao·2026-01-23 01:15Core Insights - Vaccine hesitancy is spreading from adults to children, leading to a significant decline in vaccination willingness, which has impacted company performance in the vaccine industry [1][2] Company Performance - Changchun BAK Biotech Co., Ltd. (百克生物) expects a net profit loss of 220 million to 280 million yuan for 2025, marking a year-on-year decline of 194.79% to 220.64%, the first annual loss since its listing in 2021 [1][2] - Chongqing Zhifei Biological Products Co., Ltd. (智飞生物) anticipates a loss exceeding 10 billion yuan for 2025, contrasting sharply with its net profit of over 10 billion yuan in 2021, indicating extreme volatility in performance over five years [1] - In the first three quarters of 2025, 11 sample companies in the vaccine sector reported total revenue of 17.4 billion yuan, a significant year-on-year decrease of 49.2%, and a combined net profit loss of 900 million yuan, down 121.6% [1][6] Market Dynamics - The vaccine industry is facing multiple pressures, including increased vaccine hesitancy, significant price declines, severe supply-demand imbalances, and intensified homogenization of competition [2][5] - The price of BAK Biotech's shingles vaccine was reduced from 1,369 yuan to 464 yuan, a nearly 70% decrease, aimed at improving accessibility and stimulating market demand [4] - The overall demand in the vaccine industry is weak, with core products like HPV and flu vaccines experiencing both declining issuance volumes and prices [5][6] Industry Challenges - The vaccine sector has entered a fierce price war, with many products seeing record price drops; for instance, the price of the two-valent HPV vaccine fell from 329 yuan to 86 yuan, and the three-valent flu vaccine was priced as low as 5.5 yuan [5][6] - The price war is attributed to a combination of factors, including decreased willingness for self-funded vaccinations and a shift in procurement strategies by health authorities [6] - The China Vaccine Industry Association has called for a halt to bidding below cost to encourage rational competition within the industry [6] Strategic Responses - Companies are beginning to differentiate themselves to escape the price war; BAK Biotech is diversifying its R&D pipeline, while Zhifei Biological is investing in new areas like GLP-1 [7] - Companies are urged to abandon price competition in favor of differentiated strategies that focus on unmet clinical needs and increased R&D investment to foster sustainable industry growth [7]