France/US

French drug company to produce American flu vaccine

Article published on the 2009-05-07 Latest update 2009-05-07 13:45 TU

A woman wears a mask in Grand Central Station, 30 April 2009 in New York.
(Photo: AFP)

French pharmaceutical group Sanofi Pasteur has been given the go-ahead by American drug authorities to produce flu vaccines in the US with a new laboratory in Pennsylvania. A vaccine for the A(H1N1) flu strain, also known as swine flu is to be developed there.

The new laboratory would greatly increase their production of vaccines and their ability to develop and test one for the swine flu, Karen Midthun, a representative of the US Food and Drug Association said.

The swine flu virus was isolated by US Scientists on Wednesday, public health authorities told the US Congress. This the first step in developing a vaccine for the virus which has killed at least 44 people in 29 countries worldwide.

The next step, already underway, is developing so-called seed viruses that manufacturers use to produce pilot vaccines to be tested on humans.

In Mexico, where the recent flu outbreak started, life slowly returned to normal Thursday as authorities lifted a week-old national shutdown of public buildings.

In Mexico City, universities and schools re-opened and offices and restaurants were cleared to open their shutters.