Swine flu battle rages on

May 28, 2009 – 3:18 pm by Colette Pilkus

With the number of swine flu deaths over 100, scientists are getting closer to developing a vaccine. Companies like Sanofi Pasteur, Vical, and CSL are a few that have made headlines.

Sanofi Pasteur received the new seed virus to begin production of a H1N1 vaccine. The company expects the development process to take about two weeks and after quality controls can begin production.

Last week Vical Inc. completed development of a prototype H1 vaccine against swine flu and began testing in animals. The U.S. Navy will conduct the human trials.

CSL Ltd. was given an order for 10 million doses of a new vaccine by the Australian government. The company has plans to start producing a new vaccine by next week for human testing and a vaccine based on the California strain of the virus is being tested in ferrets.

The World Health Organization reported that scientists have used bird flu samples from Egypt to develop a new basis for a vaccine against the H5N1 strain. The virus was developed at the U.S. CDC in Atlanta. 

Tags: CSL, Sanofi Pasteur, swine flu, vaccines, Vical, WHO