Chiron Hired to Produce Bird Flu Vaccine (goal: 20M vaccine,20M antiviral)

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Chiron Hired to Produce Bird Flu Vaccine
By ANDREW POLLACK
Published: October 28, 2005

Stepping up its preparations for a possible flu pandemic, the government has awarded a $62.5 million contract to the Chiron Corporation to manufacture millions of doses of a vaccine against the strain of bird flu that authorities fear.

The contract with Chiron, announced yesterday by Michael O. Leavitt, the secretary of health and human services, is the second one for the manufacture of large quantities of bulk vaccine that would be stored in a government stockpile.

Sanofi-Aventis received a $100 million contract in September and is expected to deliver its vaccine by the end of this year. Chiron, a biotechnology company based in Emeryville, Calif., is expected to deliver its vaccine in the first half of next year.

The two contracts together are likely to provide enough vaccine to protect several million people. The exact figure is not known because scientists do not yet know how large a dose will be needed for each person. A government spokesman said that under one assumption, the Chiron contract would provide for 12 million doses.

The Bush administration's current goal is to stockpile enough vaccine for 20 million people, as well as enough antiviral drugs, like Tamiflu, for another 20 million. The antiviral drugs would be used mainly to treat people once they get the disease while a vaccine would prevent the disease....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/28/business/28chiron.html

[FloridaPat]

1. Chiron botched the vaccines for the flu last year. So it only makes

sense to have them make a vaccine for what could maybe be the worst pandemic since 1918. And make sure they can't get sued.

Just like our government. Total incompetence after Katrina. Some incompetence ater Rita, and a little incompetence ater Wilma. But they WILL protect us against a nuclear attack, terrorist attack, and here we have the pandemic attack.

And they don't know the dose to protect people? How do they even know it will work? But we have to cut programs for the poor and middle class because the national debt is too big.

[papau]

2. But last yr the botched flu Chiron was Brit- now it is referred to as Cali?

Nothing has changed - and I'd bet the Flu vaccine will again be made in their Brit plant! :-)

In the EU Glaso field tests will begin "soon" - they must make some of the "5" virus stuff and get a safe but also therapeutic dosage worked out - say by next summer - or a year later?

In the US I know of no field test/dosage test plans - interesting?

:-(