Novartis produces first batch of swine flu vaccine, to start trials in July

The first results achieved with H1N1 wild type strain showed that it was quicker to make the vaccine through cell-based production compared to egg-based manufacturing, the Swiss drugmaker said in a statement on Friday.

 

"Novartis has successfully completed the production of the first batch of influenza A(H1N1) vaccine, weeks ahead of expectations," it said, adding it expects to get a license in the autumn.Â

 

"Cell-based manufacturing technology allows vaccine production to be initiated once a pandemic virus strain is identified without the need to adapt the virus strain to grow in eggs, as with traditional vaccine technologies," the group said.

 

"This advance has cut weeks off the time required to begin vaccine production," Novartis said.

 

The World Health Organization declared an influenza pandemic on Thursday and called on governments to prepare for a long-term battle against an unstoppable flu virus.

 

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said different regulatory authorities need to work together to speed registration of a safe H1N1 flu vaccine, which will not be available before September.

 

Novartis said more than 30 governments have made requests to Novartis to supply them with influenza A (H1N1) vaccine ingredients, which are a combination of pre-existing pandemic vaccine supply agreements and new requests for vaccines across all production platforms including egg-based manufacturing.