CDC tests candidate viruses for swine flu vaccine

Associated Press

Government scientists are moving a step closer to a possible swine flu vaccine, analyzing two candidate viruses that might be used to brew one.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hope to send one or both of those candidates to vaccine manufacturers by the end of next week, so they can begin the monthslong work of producing pilot lots of vaccine.

The candidate ingredients are a mix of genes from the new swine flu virus itself with components of other viruses that allow them to grow better in eggs, a key to flu vaccine production. The CDC says it is analyzing those two candidate viruses for signs that they could induce immune protection.

US sets aside $1 billion for swine flu vaccine

The government is setting aside $1 billion to pursue a vaccine against the new swine flu.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the funds on Friday, sort of a down payment should broader vaccine production eventually be deemed necessary.

"The actions we are taking today will help us be prepared if a vaccine is needed," Sebelius said.

The funds will be used to conduct studies this summer of whether initial pilot doses of vaccine work and are safe — and to place initial orders with manufacturers for two vaccine ingredients for what HHS is calling a pre-pandemic stockpile.

HHS officials said the goal is for the stockpile to allow quick production of enough shots to cover 20 million people, health care workers and people particularly vulnerable to influenza complications, if needed. That also would set up infrastructure to produce more as necessary.

The government hopes to deliver the first so-called seed stock of the new flu virus — the first step in brewing vaccine — to manufacturers next week. World health authorities will later decide whether to call for full-scale vaccine production.