November 16 – Beijing Tiantan Biological Products (600161.SH) plans to sign financial aid, loan and unilateral guarantee agreements with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop oral polio vaccines (OPV), reports stcn.com, citing a company filing.

The proposed agreements are pending approval from the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

The foundation will spend US$ 23.73 million in financial aid and mid and long-term loans with interest rates that are on par with standard bank rates.

The funds will be used to expand OPV production facilities, which are currently under construction. The firm will supply OPV to UNICEF, once it is has been certified by the World Health Organization.