GlaxoSmithKline swine flu orders reach 440m

6th Oct 2009 07:08

GlaxoSmithKline has received another 22 orders for a further 149m doses of its H1 N1 swine flu vaccine.The latest orders bring the total number of doses ordered for GSK's pandemic vaccines to 440m. Discussions continue with governments for further supplies, GSK added.First supplies of the vaccine will be shipped to governments during the week commencing 5th October. Shipments of the vaccine will be delivered in both the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first half of 2010.In August, GSK revealed it had contracts in place to supply 291m doses of the vaccine and had a variety of agreements in place with the US Government to supply pandemic products worth $250m.Since that date, 22 government orders have been agreed to supply a further 149 million doses of the vaccine.The vaccine deliveries are contingent on a number of factors including government import/export regulations, regulatory approvals, approvals for outsourced packaging and filling as well as testing required by reference laboratories.Separately, Glaxo today announced that it has agreed to form a joint venture with Chinese biotech company Jiangsu Walvax to market vaccines for children for measles, mumps and rubella.And the shares received an additional boost from the US Food and Drugs Administration endorsing Glaxo's experimental kidney cancer drug Votrient.