GlaxoSmithKline has been awarded a contract for a value of at least $63.3 million. This contract is the latest to be awarded to the vaccine manufacturer and complements GSK's agreement last year to provide the US government with its antiviral Relenza for building their flu pandemic stockpiles. GSK has already begun shipping up to 15.5 million treatment courses of Relenza.
The most recent GSK contract will last five years and also gives the US government the option to fund an additional $44 million of future clinical development programs related to antigen-sparing pandemic vaccines.
Additionally, Swiss drug maker Novartis has been awarded a contract worth $54.8 million. The department also awarded $14.4 million to Iomai in order to finish a phase 1 trial of their vaccine, and the company has the potential to receive $114 million if the trial is successful.
All the vaccines use are an immune system booster called an adjuvant. An adjuvant is a substance that may be added to a vaccine to increase the body's immune response to the vaccine's active ingredient, called antigen.
Under the contracts each company will build up its capacity to produce within six months after the onset of an influenza pandemic either 150 million doses of an adjuvant-based pandemic influenza vaccine or enough adjuvant for 150 million doses of a pandemic influenza vaccine.
“A limited global supply capacity of flu antigen makes it critical that we use innovative adjuvant system technology to produce a new generation of flu pandemic vaccines,” said David Stout, president of Pharmaceuticals at GlaxoSmithKline.