Sanofi Pasteur ships first doses of Fluzone

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis, has begun to ship its influenza vaccine for the 2008-9 season in the US.

In total, 1.3 million doses of Fluzone are being shipped to the US after the 2008-9 formulation of the vaccine was given marketing clearance by the US Food and Drug Administration last month.

Shipments of vaccine are being made to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention for distribution through the Vaccines for Children Programme and to healthcare providers will continue through the autumn with completion in October.

Included in the formulation of the vaccine for this season are three new strains of the virus, A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus, A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus and B/Florida/4/2006 like virus.

Wayne Pisano, president and chief executive officer of Sanofi Pasteur, said: “Introduction of three new strains for the influenza vaccine was unprecedented and could have resulted in a low yield or delay given our tight production timeline.”

He added the company has nevertheless shown its reliability of supplying the vaccine to the market, with its early shipment giving healthcare providers increased flexibility in planning vaccination work.

In 2006, Sanofi Pasteur produced over 170 million doses of influenza vaccine.