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Canadian company Microbix' discovery could save many lives in flu pandemic; its technology to be granted U.S. patent
Canadian company Microbix' discovery could save many lives in flu pandemic; its technology to be granted U.S. patent.
About this update from Microbix Biosystems Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nTORONTO, May 30 /CNW/ - A small Canadian company's discovery has enormous\nimplications for defending the human population from the next deadly outbreak\nof influenza.\n\n\nAs described in an article published today in Vaccine, an international,\npeer-reviewed scientific journal, Microbix Biosystems Inc. of Toronto has\ndiscovered a process that significantly boosts influenza vaccine production\noutput. As a result of this discovery, there is now a relatively fast, simple,\nand cost-effective way to potentially double the amount of flu vaccine\nmanufactured each year. The ability to quickly ramp up global vaccine\nproduction will be critical in a pandemic situation.\n\n\nMicrobix also announced today that the U.S. Patent Office has indicated\nthat it will issue a patent to the company on this technology. Patents are\nalso being allowed in Canada and India, and a number of other applications in\nmajor markets are currently pending.\n\n\nAnnual global flu vaccine production capacity is currently about 350\nmillion doses. The World Health Organization, in its Global Vaccine Action\nPlan, noted that if an influenza pandemic were to occur, the potential vaccine\nsupply would fall far short of the amount needed.\n\n\nAmong all the strategies outlined in the WHO's Action Plan, increased\nproduction yields was identified as "the most direct mechanism to make more\ndoses available." The Microbix process, if adopted worldwide, would increase\nthat amount to at least 700 million doses.\n\n\nWilliam J. Gastle, CEO of Microbix, said the company's yield enhancement\ntechnology "will allow vaccine manufacturers to expand capacity, enabling them\nto better respond to a pandemic in their regions and better compete in the\nseasonal flu vaccine market." Microbix plans to license the technology on a\nnon-exclusive basis.\n\n\nDr. Ken Hughes, one of the authors of the report and Vice President of\nScientific Affairs at Microbix, said the technology can be implemented by\nmanufacturers in less than a year, and could even be in place in time for the\nflu season in 2008.\n\n\nThe process works by increasing the virus yield from eggs. Manufacturers\nuse chicken eggs to incubate flu viruses which are then used in the production\nof vaccines, but much of the virus is attached to debris which is routinely\ndiscarded. Microbix ha...