China to start commercial production of human bird flu vaccine

Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech Co has been given approval by China's drug regulator to produce the vaccines for defending humans against the H5N1 strain of the virus and its epidemic variety, after two years of clinical trials, the state media reported.
"More than 500 volunteers have received injections of the vaccine, which shows that it is reliable," Sinovac General Manager Yin Weidong said.

China, which has the worlds largest poultry population, launched the clinical research and experiments in November 2005 as part of its efforts to produce a vaccine after a domestic epidemic caused huge losses to poultry breeders.

According to the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) spokeswoman Yan Jiangying, the vaccine production had been authorised to prevent human-to-human transmission of the virus, an official news agency said in a report.

The vaccine would be available as part of the preparations for dealing with any possible epidemic during the Olympics in Beijing in August, SFDA said.

The vaccine would not be sold in retailing drug stores for now but be reserved for emergency distribution in the event of major outbreak, the report said.

China has reported 29 cases of human bird flu since 2005.

Source: DDNEWS