EU approves Astra’s nasal flu vaccine for kids

By REUTERS

LONDON: AstraZeneca’s nasal flu vaccine has been approved for use in Europe in children aged from two up to 18 years and is likely to be available for the 2012/13 influenza season, the drugmaker said on Tuesday.

The approval from the European Commission for Fluenz had been expected following a green light from the European Medicines Agency in October.

The vaccine, which is squirted into the nose rather than given as an injection, was developed by the drugmaker’s US unit MedImmune and is already on sale for both adults and children in the United States, where it is known as FluMist.

FluMist was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2003 and its roll-out in Europe will boost AstraZeneca’s limited presence in the vaccines market.

AstraZeneca’s vaccine contains live attenuated flu virus strains, which are weakened so as to not cause illness.

In several clinical studies it has proved more effective in children compared with traditional injectable vaccines containing inactivated strains, made by companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis and Novartis.

Post your comment

required

required (email will never be displayed)

Please enter the following characters in the box provided (case sensitive). This helps us prevent automated programs from creating accounts and sending spam.

All comments are subject to approval

Terms and conditions

Latest comments

Mladic still at large

MART. then why no warrant not issued at all for Bush and Blair for killing over half a million

DIMAGH at Feb 4, 2011 15:21

4 comments

Mubarak rejects protesters' demand to step down

President Mubarak has been in power for more than 30 years! Why can't he step down NOW instead

Riaz Murtaza at Feb 4, 2011 15:21

17 comments

’Jihad Jane’ terror suspect pleads guilty in US

Brainwashing can also have "amazing power". Someone who is brainwashed can also "accept anythi

Nick McConnell at Feb 4, 2011 15:20

3 comments

Shadab: A distinct taste of Hyderabadi fare

omg at all the comments........... y are ppl takin it so seriously... at RM- u seems like a tru

raj at Feb 4, 2011 15:20

19 comments

Israelis are worried

Israel normally doesn't allow the presence of Egyptian troops as per agreement in Sinai but it

DIMAGH at Feb 4, 2011 15:19

1 comments

US and Pakistan

Pakistan is now not second to Afghanistan or Iraq it is virtually under US occupation. The pres

DIMAGH at Feb 4, 2011 15:18

2 comments