*** bird flu vaccine "encouraging"

PARIS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - "Sanofi Pasteur's early stage clinical trials of an experimental vaccine against the H5N1 bird flu strain shows it provides a good immune response and is safe, the vaccine unit of Sanofi-Aventis said.

Sanofi Pasteur announced the "encouraging" preliminary results of the Phase I trial among 300 healthy volunteers in France on Thursday as governments attempt to control a growing outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza and prevent a pandemic.

A 30 microgram dose with an adjuvant -- an additive that boosts the immune response -- in a two-dose regimen showed an immune response consistent with the requirements of regulators to approve seasonal influenza vaccine, Sanofi Pasteur said."

Full article at http://today.reuters.com/business/newsarticle.aspx?type=tnBusinessNews&storyID=nL14158847&imageid=&cap=

This must be good news for BTA shareholders who I'm sure all want an effective bird flu vaccine to be developed.