New Human H5N1 Bird Flu Vaccine From Baxter Shows Promise In Trial
Results of a phase I and phase II trial on a new human vaccine against the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus that is made from cell culture instead of embryonated eggs (making it faster and cheaper to produce) show that it is safe and effective against a number of divergent strains.
New England Journal Of Medicine Publishes Study Investigating Safety And Efficacy Of Baxter's Cell-Based Pandemic, Avian Flu Vaccine
Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) announced publication in the June 12, 2008 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) of data demonstrating Baxter's candidate avian influenza (H5N1) vaccine, CELVAPAN, met Phase I/II trial endpoints for safety and immunogenicity (generating a functional immune response).
Bird Flu Pandemic Would Require Multi-Drug Approach, UK
Scientists have uncovered a change in the H5N1 bird flu virus which makes it resistant to the anti-viral drug Tamiflu. The mutation in the N1 component was found in human cases of the disease and suggests that a single drug approach is likely to be ineffective in case of a bird flu pandemic in humans.
EU Approves GSK's Pre-Pandemic Bird Flu Vaccine
Global pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is the first to get the go ahead for a wide spectrum vaccine to protect humans ahead of a possible future bird flu pandemic now that the European Commission (EC) is giving the drug giant approval today, Monday, to market its pre-pandemic vaccine Prepandrix in all 27 member states of the European Union (EU), according to various media reports.
Confirmed H7N7 Avian Influenza In Oxfordshire Poultry Farm, UK
Following confirmation of the avian influenza virus subtype as H7N7, the Health Protection Agency has reviewed actions taken in the Oxfordshire poultry farm outbreak.Based on the best evidence available from national flu experts, the Agency remains confident that all necessary steps are being taken to protect those people who may have been exposed to the virus on the premises or who are involved in disease control activities.
Heading Off A Bird-Flu Pandemic: We Need Broadly Protective Vaccines That Can Be Rapidly Produced And Administered
Widespread vaccination likely will be the cornerstone of public-health measures for controlling an H5N1 bird-flu pandemic, say Andrea Gambotto, M.D., assistant professor of surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and his colleagues, in this week's edition of The Lancet.
Indonesia Runs Large Scale Bird Flu Drill
Indonesia is running a large scale drill simulating an outbreak of human to human bird flu that involves thousands of villagers, health workers and government officials, rehearsing for a potential pandemic. The drill started today, Friday 25th April, and is scheduled to run for three days.
Battling Bird Flu By The Numbers
A pair of Los Alamos National Laboratory theorists have developed a mathematical tool that could help health experts and crisis managers determine in real time whether an emerging infectious disease such as avian influenza H5N1 is poised to spread globally.
Biotech Experts Available To Discuss The Critical Role Of Vaccine Adjuvants In Treating Pandemic Bird Flu
The likelihood of an influenza pandemic caused by an avian influenza (Bird Flu) virus is an increasing concern to the World Health Organization (WHO) and others. Recent breakthroughs on promising cell-based vaccines are encouraging, but manufacturing, stockpiling and distributing enough vaccine to treat victims on a massive scale remain a challenge that needs attention.
Learning From The Influenza Virus' Tricks
Influenza is currently a grave concern for governments and health organisations around the world. The worry is the potential for highly virulent bird flu strains, such as H5N1, to develop the ability to infect humans easily. New drugs and vaccines to halt the spread of the virus are badly needed.