Submitted by Armen Hareyan on May 19th, 2008
GlaxoSmithKline announced the approval by European regulators on its new flu vaccine.
The new vaccine will protect from H5N1 virus, which is a strain of influenza and can lead to a pandemic. The vaccination schedule requires two shots. This new flu virus will enable a pre-vaccination for public before the pandemic actually spreads.
GlaxoSmithKline is one of few companies developing influenza vaccine. There are several strains of virus causing flu, and this vaccine protects against all strains of H5N1. Trials showed that even Indonesian type of H5N1, which is an entirely 'genetically different virus', is being blocked by the vaccine. However, in case of other viruses, such as H7 or H9, the vaccine will not really work.
GlaxoSmithKline has spent about $2 billion on developing the flu vaccine and now the company is authorized to provide it to 27-member European Union states. There are already ordered doses of vaccine: 8 million from Switzerland and 27.5 million from US Department of Health and Human Services and from some other European countries. The company also plans to donate 50 million doses to World Health Organization for poorer countries.
GlaxoSmithKline still doesn't announce the doses of mass production of influenza vaccine, but these figures will be clear after a major outbreak of the disease.
Source:
eMaxHealth 