CDC Sticking with 'Tried and True' Methods for Flu Vaccines 11 comments
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Speaking at the CDC briefing on H1N1 flu and vaccine distribution on Tuesday afternoon, CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden said his group is looking to stick with proven methods for vaccine production.
While the director admitted that there are new technologies available to speed up the process for flu vaccine production, changes in the way the U.S. Government handles that time intensive process may not see a change for "at least a couple of years."
Still, the director insisted that his group is looking closely at some of these new technologies and that his group needs to encourage more development and testing. Some companies are also doing and developing business with their technologies outside the U.S.
Currently, the flu virus has to be grown out in chicken eggs, a 50-year-old technology that is "tried and true" but difficult to speed up, says the CDC's director. Delays in growing the virus are the biggest factor contributing to the problem, but some delays have also occurred because countries where the vaccines are manufactured have insisted that their own needs be met before doses are shipped out of the country. With the exception of intranasal vaccine FluMist, all of the influenza vaccines are manufactured in other countries, "leaving this country at the mercy of other governments," according to the Los Angeles Times.
This news may affect the shares of some of the publicly traded companies who are developing some of these new vaccination technologies.
Inovio Biomedical Corporation (Amex:INO)
Product: SynCon™ H1N1 influenza DNA vaccines
Vical Incorporated (NASDAQ:VICL)
Product: Patented DNA delivery technology
Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (Amex: SVA)
Product: Panflu
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This article has 11 comments:
CVM maybe?
CVM is waiting for word on their treatment for H1N1- not a vaccine.
As far as why Sinovac would be affected by the news... The company has been talking about trying to get into the U.S. market for years, but in the United States, the decision to purchase what types and brands of vaccines is made by CDC upon the
recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which has 15 committee members
appointed by the Department of Health. In general, the ACIP will recommend 2 - 4 brands of vaccine products from
different manufacturers for each type of infectious diseases. Sinovacs isn't one of them and likely won't be for some time to come given how "conservative" these guys are being. Still, it is a healthy company and one of the ones doing well (as mentioned) by conducting business abroad.
I wouldn't be surprised to see shares break $8 tomorrow and perhaps even $10 in the coming 2-3 months.
1.
biomedreports.com/arti...
Filing wih the SEC Makes Cel-Sci's Plans Look Even More Enticing to Investors
Written by M.E.Garza
Tuesday, 25 August 2009 02:27
... "The latest filing with the SEC confirms, that CEL-SCI has created one (and perhaps even several) potential peptide VACCINE/treatments against H1N1 swine flu using their L.E.A.P.S.™ technology- a patented, T-cell modulation, peptide epitope delivery technology. The platform has enabled CEL-SCI to begin pre-clinical formulation, evaluation and testing of a new application of its H1N1 VACCINE, which will allow the targeting of "mutated" versions of H1N1 swine and other influenza viruses. World health officials believe that the influenza virus may mutate and evolve between now and the winter flu season.
According to the filing: "In conjunction with the testing, CEL-SCI has produced several L.E.A.P.S. flu VACCINES that focus on the conserved, non changing epitopes of the different strains of Type A Influenza viruses (H1N1,H5N1, H3N1, etc.), including "swine", "avian or bird", and "Spanish Influenza", in order to minimize the change of viral "escape by mutations" from immune recognition. CEL-SCI's L.E.A.P.S. flu VACCINE contains epitopes known to be associated with immune protection against influenza in animal models."...
2.
biomedreports.com/arti...
Cloak and Dagger Developments at CEL-SCI (Amex:CVM)
Written by M.E.Garza
Monday, 14 September 2009 17:00
... "As I reported in my last article about CEL-SCI Corporation (AMEX:CVM) the company’s latest filing with the SEC confirms that scientists there have created one (and perhaps even several) potential peptide VACCINES and treatments against the H1N1 swine flu using their L.E.A.P.S.™ technology- a patented, T-cell modulation, peptide epitope delivery technology.
The platform has enabled CEL-SCI to begin pre-clinical evaluation and testing of the new applications of its H1N1 VACCINE and treatments, which will allow the targeting of "mutated" versions of H1N1 swine and other influenza viruses." ...
The capital letters at VACCINE are mine.
As far as I understand you mentioned in both articles that CVM has been working in both, vaccine and treatment for H1N1. I understand they may be waiting for a word on their treatment for H1N1, but why do you say they are not in their H1N1 vaccine?
If they have been working in an H1N1 vaccine, and I believe many people have this in mind, wouldn't CVM be affected as well, and therefore should be included in your list?
I appreciate you could clarify this.
Thanks.
On Nov 04 05:42 PM M. E. Garza wrote:
> Umm.. No. didn't forget to add CVM.
> CVM is waiting for word on their treatment for H1N1- not a vaccine
Question about vaccines and adjuvants is very simple...It's economical strategic and healthcare strategy...
If you take a look to Google Flu...Trends...You will understand why US and other countries with actually not too bad temperature (H1N1 development...increased by low temperature...) have better results than CANADA...UKRAINE...RUS... this time...
Analyze curbs and you will have a clear vision to US evolution...when temperature will be lower...
For CDC situation is clear...They have a Flu Pick before normal arrival...and can't do anything to get vaccines before this first pick...
Because they can't control speed flu development...
Commands passed to traditional manufacturers went at the right time for eggs process...But not in this H1N1 cases...
So with a Flu pick in normal season...it must be end of november to december....and after...
So in the time...to isolate H1N1 souch....manufacture first eggs batches...Gained Approval "planning were respected..." but problem were added within very low yield and so few vaccines conforms manufactured...With adjuvants criticals approbation with or without...and deals between for example...AGEN and others companies....
Today, situation is very clear...There is a shorteage in time for traditionals manufacturers with "old eggs" process...
So question is about NVAX, INOVIO, CVM...an others...They are only abble to ramp up very quickly manufacturing....with for example NVAX one process already performs by NVS or BAXTER or AZN...but not by SP, GSK...on VLP, cell process or LEAPS...
It's why also...CVM and Biocryst have a very strong potential market for their products...Few vaccines egual more sicks...and more sicks egual more product potential use for CVM and BIOCRYST....
cqfd...
It's why also INOVIO renforce his team...with senior from vaccines for a better speed to the market....
After it's a safety, regulatory..;and political decision to develop small biotech in this situation...
One complementary advice...cell culture process...is better paid by government....take a look to prices contracts....for Baxter by example..;and GSK you will see a difference...
So for these reasons before the end of this year...AGEN, NVAX, INOVIO, CVM, Biocryst...have a bigger share value potential development...than major installed companies with higher share value...Jump will be more important...