Glaxo has bird flu 'breakthrough'

In the article Glaxo has bird flu 'breakthrough', BBC online reveals that the threat of global pandemic as a reuslt of an H5N1 mutation or species-transfer, is lessened by the possible availability of mass vaccination.

"All being well, we expect to make regulatory filings for the vaccine in the coming months"

Well that's good news.... let's hope the fast track regulation works.

Glaxo said its new vaccine would give limited immunity to bird flu in the event of a pandemic. A second shot would be necessary for complete immunisation, the company said.

If there were a pandemic outbreak in the early autumn, mass manufacture of Glaxo's vaccine could probably be started quickly through collaboration with rival pharmaceutical companies.

[File under: Avian Flu]