On July 26th, GlaxoSmithKline Inc. (GSK) headquartered in Britain announced that it has developed a highly effective and low-dose H5N1 avian influenza vaccine applicable to human beings. This vaccine, with wonderful performance displayed in early clinical trials, is likely to go into mass production in 2007.

According to GSK, researchers of the company used the vaccine to conduct clinic trials on 100 adults in Belgium and 80% of the subjects got the ability to resist avian influenza. Two doses of the vaccine, with 3.8 gammas each, can make one person resistant to avian flu.

The reason why such a small dose can achieve expected effectiveness is mainly a special adjuvant that is added to the vaccine. The adjuvant, as an auxiliary substance added to vaccine, can make it easier for human immune system to accept the vaccine and thus enhance immune response. The avian flu virus continually undergoes variations. Once it triggers a widespread flu epidemic among humans, a great number of people should be immunized immediately. Under this situation, however, the world will not be able to manufacture enough avian flu vaccine because of current limited production capacity.

At present, many research institutions and pharmaceutical enterprises strive to find a way of using adjuvant to enhance the effectiveness of vaccine and lower the necessary dose because in this way pressure from mass production of the vaccine can be eased.

GSK says it will provide developing countries with this vaccine in collaboration with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation of the U.S.

By People's Daily Online