Protein Sciences adds distributor for Flublok recombinant influenza vaccine

Up to 500,000 doses of the vaccine will be manufactured, and the first doses will be available in September.

ASD Specialty Healthcare and its Besse Medical and Oncology Supply divisions have been added as a distributor of Flublok. FFF Enterprises will continue to be a distributor.

Wayne Hachey, DO (Colonel, U.S. Army, ret.), Head of Government and Clinical Affairs at Protein Sciences, made these announcements at the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit Meeting earlier this month in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Hachey said, "Last year healthcare professionals wanted Flublok available sooner and from more access points. We are pleased to give them just that."

Dr. Manon Cox, MBA, President and CEO of Protein Sciences said, "We are excited to add ASD Specialty Healthcare and its Besse Medical and Oncology Supply divisions to our distribution network. Both FFF and ASD offer fast, reliable delivery of Flublok to healthcare professionals nationwide."

Healthcare professionals can pre-order Flublok by contacting FFF at 800-843-7477 or ASD at 866-281-4FLU.

FDA approved Flublok, the world’s first recombinant protein-based vaccine for the prevention of seasonal influenza disease, in January 2013.

Flublok is the only flu vaccine made in a 100% egg-free system using modern cell culture technology, making it unnecessary to use an infectious influenza virus or antibiotics in manufacturing. Flublok is highly purified and does not contain any preservatives (e.g., thimerosal, a mercury derivative), egg proteins, gelatin or latex. In addition, it contains 3x more protective ingredients than traditional flu vaccines.

Flublok is a perfect copy of the virus coat and is not subject to the egg-adapted mutations associated with low vaccine effectiveness (see Skowronski et al. (2014) PLOS ONE 9(3), e92153). We have filed for FDA approval of Flublok for ages 50 and above and expect to receive approval in time for the 2014/15 influenza season.