The co-founder of BioNTech, Ugur Sahin, says the arrival of China's first foreign-developed COVID-19 vaccine "is very likely" as early as July. 

BioNTech has been working with local partners in China since last December to deliver 100 million doses this year, with approval for the formula from the Chinese authorities still pending.  

In an interview, the co-founder of the German pharmaceutical firm – which has been at the forefront of the global medical response to the coronavirus with its vaccine produced with U.S. giant Pfizer – said: "I am optimistic that we can help the people of China."

Sahin added that the Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group had proved to be "a great company" to work with.  

China is known to be keen to add a range of globally produced vaccines to its five most popular domestic treatments, partly to ease the return to international travel in the post-pandemic recovery period.  

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Sahin was speaking as the global death rate edged towards 3.2 million and infections remain high amid concerns about new COVID-19 variants.

However, he remains optimistic that the BioNTech treatment can rise to the challenge of new coronavirus strains.

"We have studied over 30 variants so far ... and see that our vaccine works just as well with almost all. The British variant is now the [one] that has spread the most worldwide."

He said that real-world results in Israel showed "we have 97 percent effectiveness, which is even higher than against the original variant."