Sanofi-Aventis to sell seasonal flu vaccine in China

Sanofi-Aventis hopes to provide some 25 million doses of seasonal flu vaccine to China’s domestic market after its plant in the city of Shenzhen becomes operational in 2012, it has been reported.

Reuters notes Wayne Pisano, head of the company’s vaccines division, Sanofi-Pasteur, said only two per cent of the Chinese population were immunised against the condition each year.

Speaking to reporters in Hong Kong, he said: “By producing the vaccine in China with this new facility, we are going to increase our capacity immediately with an additional 25 million doses and it will allow us to expand that and double it as the needs in China grow.”

The news provider states the 70 million euro (54.6 million pounds) plant will make use of China-made antigens, substances cultured using chicken eggs that are in vaccines and stimulate production of antibodies in humans.

Mr Pisano added the firm is developing an adjuvant, which will be used should a pandemic outbreak of flu occur, should there not be enough antigen to go around.

In recent weeks, Sanofi-Aventis announced its Fawdon manufacturing site has been given the gold award for its comprehensive energy management programme within the operating sites section of the 2008 Climate Change awards.