HHS awards $132.5M for avian flu vaccines

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded a total of $132.5 million to three companies to develop adjuvant-based vaccines and adjuvants for H5N1 avian influenza. GlaxoSmithKline (LSE:GSK; GSK) will receive $63.3 million over five years to research and develop vaccines, and the U.S. government also can opt to fund an additional $44 million of related development programs. GSK said its lead adjuvanted pandemic vaccine is in registration in Europe and will enter a U.S. Phase I/II trial next quarter. Novartis (NVS; SWX:NOVN) will receive $54.8 million over five years to develop its MF59 adjuvant in a cell culture-based pandemic influenza vaccine and to support the establishment of a U.S.-based MF59 production facility. ...