U.S. signs deal for stockpile of bird-flu vaccine

WASHINGTON — Mass production of a new vaccine that promises to protect against bird flu is poised to begin, as the government yesterday agreed to stockpile $100 million worth of inoculations.

The new contract with French vaccine maker Sanofi-Pasteur marks a major step in U.S. preparation for the possibility that the virus could spark an influenza pandemic.

Although the vaccine is still experimental, preliminary results from the National Institutes of Health's first testing in people suggest the inoculations spur an immune response that would be strong enough to protect against known strains of the avian influenza.

But how many doses the $100 million will buy isn't clear. That's because there is contrasting research on how much antigen must be in each dose to provide protection, Sanofi spokesman Len Lavenda said.

Regardless of the ultimate number, clearing the way for mass production now is a big step. Sanofi's factory in Swiftwater, Pa., can produce bird-flu vaccine in September and October and separate bulk lots into agreed-upon doses later.

The government's ultimate goal is to stockpile 20 million vaccine doses, a first wave of protection if the H5N1 bird-flu strain eventually sparks a pandemic.

The virus has killed or led to the slaughter of millions of birds, mostly in Asia but in parts of Europe, too. Although it has killed only about 60 people, that's because it doesn't spread easily from person to person. If that changes — and flu viruses mutate regularly — it could trigger a deadly worldwide outbreak. Because H5N1 is so different from the flu strains that circulate each winter, people have no residual immunity.