Novartis Tests Swine Flu Vaccine

Swiss drugmaker Novartis has reportedly begun to test its swine flu vaccine on humans. These are said to be the company’s first swine flu tests on humans, and it will test the vaccine’s safety and whether one or two shots are necessary.

Novartis’ swine flu vaccine is being tested in a yearlong trial of 6,000 people of all age groups and drawn from the following countries – Germany, Britain, and the United States. Novartis has said also that their swine flu vaccine will likely be on the market before the trial finishes. Novartis expects to start shipping their swine flu vaccine in the last quarter of 2009, and will reportedly continue the deliveries next year.

Half of Novartis’ swine flu vaccines that are being tested now were grown in chicken eggs (the traditional way of making flu vaccines), while the other half use a new cell-based technology.

The Novartis swine flu vaccines being tested in Europe have an adjuvant (an ingredient used to boost the body’s immune response), while in the United States, Novartis will be testing vaccines both with and without adjuvants.

Once Novartis receives preliminary data from this swine flu vaccine trial, they will submit this information to drug regulators including the European Medicines Agency. European and U.S. regulators have a fast-track process for approving swine flu vaccine – in order to ensure that it is available before the traditional flu season starts in the fall. The swine flu virus is expected to surge at that time.