Akzo Nobel developing human H5N1 vaccine

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http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=33557

Article Date: 14 Nov 2005

Akzo Nobel's Nobilon International business, which is active in the field of biotechnology, is developing a human vaccine against the deadly H5N1 strain of the avian flu virus which is starting to spread throughout Europe.

Development of the vaccine-which is still in its early stages-is taking place at Nobilon in conjunction with Akzo Nobel's human healthcare business, Organon.

The company's animal health business, Intervet, already supplies an avian flu vaccine which is used to inoculate birds. “The current situation in Europe highlights the urgent need for a human vaccine against this potentially lethal infection,” said Toon Wilderbeek, Akzo Nobel's Board Member responsible for Pharma. “We are active on a number of fronts regarding the production of human and animal vaccines to counter this particular threat and the combined expertise we have throughout the company is proving invaluable.”

Nobilon recently received European Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) approval to begin producing human influenza vaccines for use in clinical trials. The approval means that Nobilon-which was set up by Akzo Nobel in 2003 to develop and commercialize human vaccines-is now licensed to manufacture flu vaccines to be used in clinical testing, with the first trials scheduled to start in 2006.

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