UPDATE 1-Novartis says EU approves pandemic flu vaccine
(Adds more details)
ZURICH, May 8 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG (NOVN.VX) said on Tuesday the European Union had approved its Focetria pandemic influenza vaccine.
Focetria will be manufactured to contain the particular influenza strain declared by the World Health Organisaion at the time of a pandemic, Novartis said in a statement.
If the WHO declared an influenza pandemic Novartis would submit a revised approval application to incorporate the identified viral strain.
The vaccine will include Novartis's proprietary adjuvant MF59, which could extend the vaccine supply by allowing smaller amounts of viral antigens to be used in each dose.
Novartis said it had separately submitted a pre-pandemic influenza vaccine for the H5N1 strain for EU approval, which incorporates the MF59 adjuvant and is based on the same technology as Focetria.
That vaccine is intended for use prior to the declaration of a pandemic to help bolster immune systems and improve defence against infections from an H5N1 virus.
((Reporting by Sam Cage, editing by Greg Mahlich; e-mail: zurich.newsroom@reuters.com Reuters Messaging: sam.cage.reuters.com@reuters.net telephone: +41 (0) 44 631 7457)) Keywords: NOVARTIS FOCETRIA/
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