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Biotech / Medical : Biotech Valuation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IRWIN JAMES FRANKEL who wrote (13339)	10/6/2004 11:57:24 AM
From: Biomaven	Respond to of 52153

FluMist Maker Weighs Production Increase By Associated Press October 6, 2004, 11:17 AM EDT GAITHERSBURG, Md. -- The maker of FluMist said it is looking into whether it can make more of the inhalable flu vaccine to help the federal government deal with a looming flu vaccine shortage. Gaithersburg-based MedImmune had planned to make 1 million to 2 million doses for this flu season after selling less than 500,000 in the product's disappointing first season. However, that was before the British government announced Tuesday that it had shut down a major flu-shot supplier, citing manufacturing problems at the Chiron Corp. factory in England where roughly 46 million doses destined for the United States had been made. The move left the United States facing the loss of roughly half of its vaccine supply. MedImmune said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked Tuesday whether it could increase FluMist production. MedImmune spokeswoman Jamie Lacey said the company was evaluating the request, but said making more doses would be difficult because the process involves growing live strains of the virus in eggs, and can take up to a year. "We're just beginning to engage in that. We're just getting started" taking a look, Lacey said. FluMist, approved last year for use in healthy 5- to 49-year-olds, isn't considered safe for the elderly or people with medical problems. The CDC said the 54 million doses of conventional flu vaccine expected from Aventis Pasteur, the world's leading supplier, would be enough if healthy adults skip the shots this flu season and save them for the people most vulnerable to effects of the flu, including children ages 6 to 23 months, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. Last year, Medimmune, produced 4 million to 5 million doses but sold only 450,000. Drawbacks include storage and distribution difficulties -- the vaccine must be kept frozen -- and cost: FluMist sells for about $53, triple the price of flu shots. Medimmune has previously said it plans to supply about 1.5 million doses this year and can't expand. Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press