re: chiron corp. to supply bird flu vaccine
The following article may my explain your question! http://www.thebusinessonline.com/Stories.aspx?Drugs%20giants%20step%20up%20production%20of%20bird%20flu%20vaccine&StoryID=9FBAC07B-8276-414C-9B36-3F85EAD674E6&SectionID=BA48E3D7-CCB9-4976-883F-EE19F9206FB3. --------------------------------------------- Drugs giants step up production of bird flu vaccine By Tony Glover 26 February 2006
THE world’s drugs giants were preparing for an outbreak of bird flu this weekend, after mounting fears the virus will continue to spread. But while some drugs companies hope to benefit from selling vaccines, some analysts believe governments may requisition their factories in a real emergency, thus robbing them of serious profit.
The UK government on Friday awarded contracts for 3.5m doses of the vaccine against H5N1, worth £33m, to pharmaceutical firms Chiron and Baxter. The UK is also due to award a larger contract for 120m doses (two per citizen). The closing date for tenders is 7 March.
At the moment, the avian virus H5N1 – bird flu for those of us without a PhD – can only be easily spread to humans by direct contact with infected birds; should the virus mutate so it can easily spread between humans it would become a pandemic along the lines of the influenza pandemic of 1918 which killed 50m-100m people.
GlaxoSmithKline says the spread of the avian virus will this year result in an increase in production of Relenza, which can be used to treat avian flu in humans. GlaxoSmithKline estimates it will make 15m dosages of Relenza in 2006, up from 11m in 2005. Relenza is inhaled, whereas sources within GlaxoSmithKline admit Roche’s equivalent drug Tamiflu, taken orally, could be easier to administer in a pandemic.
GlaxoSmithKline is placing its largest bet on developing a vaccine for H5N1, in the belief governments will have little alternative but to stockpile millions of vaccines as the prospect of a pandemic comes closer.
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