On May 30, Russia began testing a bird flu vaccine produced by the pharmaceutical company Microgen on 120 volunteers. This trial program will last until mid-August 2006.
According to the director of Microgen, Anton Katlinski, the trial will be conducted in two phases. The volunteers will not be hospitalized but will be monitored under the supervision of the Institute of Influenza in Saint Petersburg and the Institute of Vaccines and Serums in Moscow. Both types of vaccine being tested are formulated from a source of the H5N1 virus obtained from Vietnam. Russian specialists have expressed great optimism regarding the results of the vaccine, which had previously been tested on animals.
Currently, there are 10 pharmaceutical companies worldwide developing bird flu vaccines for humans, with half of them undergoing testing.
DUC TRUONG
