Baxter backs influenza vaccine stockpiling

Baxter International has announced its support for plans to stockpile influenza vaccines in order to provide greater access to the H5N1 avian pandemic influenza medication within developing countries.

The company has expressed its backing for a World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative which includes the storage of vaccines for supply to developing nations, while the international body itself has called for greater efforts to fulfil these plans.

Baxter has announced that it will assist this scheme through the provision of its pandemic influenza candidate, donating H5N1 vaccines to guarantee their rapid and wide deployment as part of a global plan in the event of a pandemic.

These drugs are being supplied as special varying prices depending on the financial situation of the recipient nation, in order to broaden access to these compounds in the poorest countries.

Kim Bush, president of the vaccines business at Baxter, stated that the widening of access to vaccines in the developing world is a key concern of the company.

“Baxter is committed to improving access and affordability of pandemic flu vaccines in ways that reflect the company’s expertise, knowledge and resources,” he said.

In July 2006, Baxter announced the initiation of a phase I/II trial of its vero-cell H5N1 immunisation candidate.