S'pore adds Relenza to bird flu drug stockpile18 Jan 2006...

S'pore adds Relenza to bird flu drug stockpile
18 Jan 2006 08:47:34 GMT

Source: Reuters

SINGAPORE, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Singapore has ordered 50,000 courses of GlaxoSmithKline's Relenza to supplement its stockpile of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu to fight bird flu, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

The small island-state of 4.4 million people has already stockpiled 500,000 doses of Tamiflu, an anti-viral made by Roche AG .

Singapore plans to have a total stockpile of one million Tamiflu doses by the end of this year.

Experts believe Relenza, known generically as zanamivir, and Tamiflu are a first line of defence against the H5N1 avian flu virus, although the drugs must be taken early.

"We have already committed to Relenza and are in the process of purchasing 50,000 courses," said Kandiah Satkunanantham, the health ministry's director of medical services, at a briefing held by The Lancet ahead of the medical journal's May forum in Singapore on avian influenza.

Singapore is in the process of finalising the details of plans to cooperate with neighbouring Indonesia in its fight against the spread of bird flu.

It is providing Indonesia training, laboratory testing support, equipment and medical supplies.