BEIJING, Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (Nasdaq: SVA), a leading China-based vaccine manufacturer, today announced that it plans to sell, subject to market and other conditions, 8,650,000 common shares of the company in an underwritten public offering. Sinovac plans to grant the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,297,500 common shares to cover overallotments.

Sinovac plans to use the net proceeds of the offering to fund the acquisition and expansion of production facilities, the enhancement of production lines, the research and development of product candidates, the expansion of product pipeline, and general corporate purposes (including an undetermined amount for potential acquisitions).

UBS Securities LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co. will serve as joint bookrunners for the offering.

This offering will be made under Sinovac's currently effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 18, 2009. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, securities and does not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained from UBS Securities LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171, U.S.A., telephone: 1-877-827- 6444 ext. 561-3884, or Piper Jaffray & Co., Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis MN 55402, U.S.A., telephone: 1-800- 754-4781.

About Sinovac

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. is a China-based biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the research, development, manufacture and commercialization of vaccines that protect against infectious diseases. Sinovac's vaccine products include Healive(R) (hepatitis A), Bilive(R) (combined hepatitis A and B), and Anflu(R) (influenza). Panflu(R) and Panflu.1(TM), Sinovac's pandemic influenza vaccine (H5N1) and H1N1 vaccine, have already been approved for government stockpiling. Sinovac is developing vaccines for a number of different infectious diseases including enterovirus 71, pneumococcal disease, Japanese encephalitis, haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), meningitis, rabies, chickenpox, mumps and rubella. Sinovac is also conducting field trials for independently developed inactivated animal rabies vaccine.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about the company and the industry in which the company operates. The company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or to changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law.



    For further information, please contact:

     Helen G. Yang
     Sinovac Biotech Ltd.
     Tel:   +86-10-8289-0088 x9871
     Fax:   +86-10-6296-6910
     Email: info@sinovac.com

    Investors:
     Amy Glynn/Stephanie Carrington
     The Ruth Group
     Tel:   +1-646-536-7023/7017
     Email: aglynn@theruthgroup.com
            scarrington@theruthgroup.com

    Media:
     Janine McCargo
     The Ruth Group
     Tel:   +1-646-536-7033
     Email: jmccargo@theruthgroup.com

SOURCE Sinovac Biotech Ltd.