Sanofi-Aventis delivers more bird flu vaccine to US

Sanofi-Aventis’ vaccine business Sanofi Pasteur has delivered $50 million worth of avian influenza vaccine to the US government.

The 15,000 doses of the experimental H5N1 vaccine will be used by the US National Institute of Health in clinical studies to assess its best formulation and strength.

The use of aluminium hydroxide as an adjuvant is also being investigated as a means to increase the effectiveness of the vaccine and allow less of the antigen in each dose, so more people could be treated.

Sanofi-Aventis has also completed production of additional bulk-concentrate of the vaccine for US stockpile, worth $50 million, for the US department of defence.

This is in addition to a $100 million stockpile to be sent to the US department of health.

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