Progress in Vaccine as flu claims 18th victim

Thai scientists have succeeded in developing the country's first seed viruses to produce new vaccines against type-A (H1N1) influenza which has infected 3,555 people and, by yesterday, had killed 18.

Science and Technology Minister Kalaya Sophonpanich said the live-attenuated vaccine and the inactivate virus vaccine were developed from the new pandemic 2009 virus, which was collected from the country's first confirmed new flu patient.
The Public Health Ministry's Medical Science Department had sent samples of the A/Nonthaburi/102/2009 (H1N1) virus collected from the first patient to Mahidol University's Siriraj Hospital and the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotec).
Dr Prasert Auewarakul and Dr Onpreeya Saptaveewat of Siriraj Hospital developed the live-attenuated vaccine while Anan Jongkaewwattana of Biotec developed the inactivate virus vaccine.
These two seed viruses were developed by reverse genetic technology which helps scientists produce vaccines in different forms.
The seed viruses were now being tested in ferrets to investigate the safety of the vaccine in animals before its use in humans, Kalaya said.
Scientists will also study how to increase the amount of vaccine, the stability and safety of the vaccine and the ability to boost immunity in animals.
After the test, they will send the seed viruses to the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) as alternative seed viruses to produce the new vaccines.
Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said the country would no longer need to purchase new seed viruses from other countries to produce vaccines.
"This would help Thais to use vaccines sooner," he said.
The GPO was expected to issue the first batch of two million doses of the new vaccines by January.
Medical workers will be the first group to receive the new vaccines, as they stand at the front line of the fight against the pandemic.

Source: The Nation