Adjuvant may stretch swine flu vaccine supply

Greece, The Netherlands, Canada and Israel have ordered enough double doses of swine flu vaccine to inoculate their entire populations. "Pandemic vaccine orders put in by northern hemisphere countries stand at over one billion," a World Health Organization spokesperson told AFP.

Although just last month the WHO had tallied manufacturing capacity of 94 million doses per week starting in mid-October based on estimates from 25 drug companies, reality has hit: the major makers report delays and a new yield projection that is half or less of the original, the AFP reports.

That could be good news for specialty drug-maker Biosante, which just announced that its BioVant adjuvant increased the protective effect of vaccines for multiple flu strains, including a potential swine flu vaccine, yielding 100 percent protection from symptoms of illness. Its studies showed that both swine and bird flu vaccines fortified with BioVant may stretch supplies through the use of lower doses. Intranasal administration could provide more convenient and wider distribution during a flu pandemic.

- here's the AFP report
- read the Biosante announcement

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