Sinovac Launches New Version of Flu Vaccine

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. (SVA) announced the launch of the 2008-2009 version of its seasonal flu vaccine, Anflu. Anflu is the only split influenza vaccine produced without preservatives in China.

Sinovac said it would market the vaccine to adults. Last year, Sinovac signed a co-promotion agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) under which Sinovac was responsible for marketing Anflu to children, while GSK took over the duty for adults. The new arrangement made a very substantial difference in Anflu revenues. In 2006, Sinovac sold just 77,000 doses of the vaccine, a number that increased to 1.6 million doses in 2007 with GSK’s help.

Probably, the GSK contract is still in force, though there has been some blurring of the previously sharp lines of demarcation between Sinovac’s territory and GSK’s.

With help from a grant from China’s National Development and Reform Commission, Sinovac has expanded its vaccine production capacity to 20 million doses annually. This expansion will allow production of 20 million doses of the seasonal vaccine.

Vaccine maker Sinovac’s main product is Healive, a hepatitis A vaccine. It also markets Bilive, a hepatitis A and B combined vaccine, and the company is developing Panflu which would protect against avian flu.

Disclosure: none.