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Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG announced at the end of last week that it has successfully produced the first batch of A/H1N1 swine flu vaccine at its Marburg, Germany plant, weeks well ahead of schedule.
According to a press release on the company website, the vaccine was produced in cells, rather than grown in eggs as is typically the case with vaccines. "The speed advantages of our cell-based production approach and our unwavering commitment to address this public health emergency have resulted in our ability to provide the fastest possible response to this outbreak," said Dr. Andrin Oswald, CEO of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics. "This achievement is also a testament to the technical skills and innovation of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics people and our partners. I believe it highlights our reputation as a leader in influenza vaccine research, development and production."
The announcement occurred a day after Dr. Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization declared a global swine flu pandemic , raising the alert level from phase 5 to phase 6 as the number of swine flu cases hit close to 30,000 in 74 countries including the U.S. WHO says drugmakers will likely have vaccines approved and ready for sale after September.
Novartis plans to use the first batch of vaccine for pre-clinical evaluation and testing to make sure it is safe and effective. The company, which has had requests for the vaccine from more than 30 governments including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which placed a $289 million order in May, will build a second plant in Holly Springs, North Carolina.
Since the outbreak began in Mexico in early April, confirmed cases in the US have generally been mild with symptoms resolving within 48 hours. So far, health officials claim the swine flu virus is susceptible to the antivirals, Tamiflu and Relenza. However, during the next few months, CDC scientists will be analyzing the virus to see if it mutates, develops resistance to antiviral medications or becomes more contagious.
Health officials have warned that there is no way to tell now if the swine flu A/H1N1 virus will be more virulent when, and if, it returns to the Northern Hemisphere this winter.
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