Kicking Chiron when it's down

Whether or not Chiron Corp. gets its U.K. Fluvirin influenza vaccine manufacturing facility up and running in time for the 2005/06 flu season, the company is likely to lose some market share next year. At least two companies are planning to seek accelerated FDA approval of their vaccines, and others are beefing up their manufacturing capabilities. Moreover, the agency says it is eager to increase the number of U.S. suppliers in order to avoid future shortages.

CHIR isn't saying when it expects the U.K.'s MHRA to re-activate the company's license to manufacture flu vaccine or how quickly it thinks it can address the problems at its Liverpool facility, but the company has said that it must have the facility back on line by early spring in order to produce Fluvirin for the 2005/06 season. ...