Sinovac Biotech (AMEX: SVA) announced its intention to develop a vaccine against hand, foot and mouth disease, a childhood disease that is caused by human enterovirus 71 (EV71). To develop the vaccine, Sinovac will collaborate with the CDC of China, which will supply the company with epidemiology studies of recent outbreak areas. There is no specific treatment for enterovirus infections, and no vaccine is currently available.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD), though common, is usually a mild childhood disease. In a small percentage of the cases, EV71-caused HFMD becomes epidemic and is associated with neurological disease.

China has suffered from at least one HFMD epidemic each year since 1988. Other outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia (1997), Taiwan (1998, 2000 and 2001), Australia (1999) and Singapore (2000), among others.

In 2007, the total number of reported HFMD cases was 83,344, including 17 deaths. This year, a WHO report dated 7 May 2008 said that an epidemic in Fuyang City, Anhui Province in China has resulted in 4,496 cases of EV71-caused HFMD, including 22 deaths. The data encompassed just over four months, starting at the beginning of 2008 and continuing until May 5.

Sinovac specializes in vaccines. The company’s major revenue producer is Healive®, a vaccine that protects against hepatitis A.