INFO: Avents Ships More Flu Vaccine in U.S.

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Aventis Ships More Flu Vaccine in U.S.

LONDON (Reuters) Dec 11 - Aventis SA, the largest influenza vaccine supplier in the United States, said on Thursday it had started shipping an extra 250,000 doses held in reserve to help tackle tight supply in parts of the country.

The additional 100,000 doses of adult vaccine and 150,000 of the paediatric formulation are being distributed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a spokesman for the Franco-German company said.

U.S. officials said earlier this week they were searching for more vaccine and monitoring shortages, following a run on supplies caused by fears of an unusually serious flu season.

Aventis Pasteur, the Strasbourg-based company's vaccine unit, produced 43 million doses of its Fluzone vaccine this year, down from 48 million in 2002, after much of the supply went unused last year.

This flu season, however, has started early and includes a more severe strain of the virus, leading to supply problems in some areas.

Aventis's smaller rival Chiron Corp said on Tuesday it was also working with the U.S. government to help boost vaccine supplies after raising its production by about 50 percent from last season