GlaxoSmithKline wins European nod for bird flu pandemic vaccines
British pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has won European recommendations for two vaccines aimed at combatting a potential bird flu pandemic.
Pre-pandemic vaccine Prepandrix has been granted a "positive opinion" by a key panel of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), according to a company statement received Friday by AFP and a press release by EMEA.
Prepandrix was developed on the basis of an existing strain of H5N1 bird flu, which can be deadly for humans. It is widely expected to gain European marketing approval in the next few months after winning EMEA recommendations, experts said.
Scientists fear that H5N1, which now mostly infects birds, will eventually mutate into a form that is much more easily transmissible between humans, triggering a global flu pandemic.
The idea behind a pre-pandemic vaccine is to stockpile a formula that would give at least an effective shield against a pandemic strain. It would be the best available protection for frontline workers until a new vaccine, calibrated to work against the actual pandemic virus, becomes available.
Another GSK formula, a so-called mock-up vaccine, Pandemrix, has also gained a positive opinion from the EMEA.
Pandemrix would not be available until four to six months after an influenza pandemic is declared because the vaccine needs to be adapted to fight the new strain of influenza virus.
Several governments have approached GSK with regard to building stockpiles of Prepandrix, according to Jean Stephenne, president and general manager at GSK's vaccine division, GSK Biologicals.
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