Australian bird flu vaccine trial results "promising"

February 17, 2006

The Australian based pharmaceutical company CSL has announced that despite promising human trials of their bird flu vaccine, more research is needed before the final formula can be developed.

Late last year the Australian federal government gave CSL AU$ 5 million to speed up research into the bird flu vaccine.

The vaccine was tested on 400 Australians aged between 18 and 45 in October last year to determine its safety and effectiveness. The strain of bird flu used for the trials was taken from a bird flu victim in Vietnam and neutralised to prevent it from being contagious.

The next phase of the trial will include 700 people from varying age groups.

CSL has previously indicated that once their vaccine is approved, it could take between three and six months to manufacture enough of the vaccine to inoculate every Australian.