Sanofi bags order from US for supplying swine flu vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine division of Sanofi-Aventis Group on Monday said it has received order from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to supply antigen for 27.3 million doses of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine for swine flu.     

"The new order is for the production of bulk antigen equivalent to 27.3 million doses based on 15 mcg of antigen per dose. Specifications for formulation and filling of this new bulk order will be the subject of a separate order," Sanofi Pasteur said in a statement.     

Till date, Sanofi Pasteur has committed a total of 75.3 million doses of Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine to the US government, it added.     

Antigen is the basic raw material for producing any vaccines.Sanofi Pasteur had begun the commercial production of the new influenza vaccine in June using the novel virus strain to provide doses for clinical trials and to respond to the initial order from HHS.    

Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine was licensed by the US health regulator Food and Drug Administration on September 15, 2009. The company has two facilities- one each in US and France for producing the vaccines and it would supply the vaccine to HHS using its US-based production facility.