Sanfoi Pasteur’s flu vaccine approved for marketing

Sanofi Pasteur has announced a treatment to protect against flu has been approved for marketing.

The European Commission granted authorisation for the first intradermal microinjection influenza vaccine and the it is now permitted to be distributed in the European Union for adults ? those aged 18 and over ? and the elderly ? people over 60-years-old.

It will be sold under the commercial names Intanza or IDflu and the decision follows the positive opinion granted in December 2008 by the European Medicines Agency.

Wayne Pisano, president and chief executive officer of Sanofi Pasteur, explained during clinical trials the treatment was highly accepted by patients who received it, while providing a safe and effective protection against the illness.

He described the benefits for patients as being the “potential to improve the coverage rate and consequently to help to protect more people and save more lives”.

Professionals in the healthcare industry were reported to appreciate the fact that the remedy facilitated influenza antigen administration, Mr Pisano concluded.

The vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis Group, Sanofi Pasteur, provided more that 1.6 billion doses of preventative medication last year, immunising more than 200 million people worldwide.