WHO releases swine flu samples to vaccine makers

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WHO releases swine flu samples for vaccine makers AFP May 28

GENEVA (AFP) – The World Health Organisation on Thursday released details of

swine flu samples sent to drug companies this week for use in making a vaccine

against the new strain of influenza .

The three candidate reassortant vaccine seed viruses were developed by

laboratories in Britain and the United States, according to documents published

on the WHO's website.

" So far we have three candidate vaccine viruses that have been sent to

companies, " a WHO spokeswoman said.

Candidate or seed viruses act as references to allow pharmaceutical companies to

develop and produce vaccines.

WHO interim Assistant Director General Keiji Fukuda said last week that the

pharmaceutical industry should be ready to produce a preventive vaccine against

influenza A(H1N1) by the end of June or early July.

Output of up to 4.9 billion doses a year would be possible, according to a

forecast presented to about 30 vaccine makers this month.

However, experts are still mulling whether to give the go ahead for production

as this may reduce or halt the manufacture of vaccines for seasonal flu.

Other issues including dosage and the cost still have to be ironed out as well.

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