Chiron Updates Delivery Expectations For U.S. Government H5N1 Vaccine Stockpile Contract

Emeryville, CA - Chiron Corporation recently announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agreed to extend delivery terms for a stockpile of H5N1 bulk influenza vaccine(1) for the U.S. government. In October 2005, Chiron announced that it had entered into a contract with the U.S. government to stockpile H5N1 bulk vaccine.

Chiron is producing this stockpile at its facility in Liverpool, England, and expects to complete approximately 70 percent of the order before turning operations to annual production of FLUVIRIN(R) influenza virus vaccine in March. Chiron expects to recognize the revenue for the completed doses upon fulfillment of the contract. Chiron expects to resume work on fulfilling the contract following the conclusion of the FLUVIRIN vaccine campaign in the fall of 2006.

As part of its avian influenza vaccine strategy, Chiron expects that it can manufacture avian influenza vaccines during the traditional break between seasonal influenza vaccine campaigns, finishing these activities in time for the seasonal influenza vaccine production to avoid interruption of the normal manufacturing cycle.

SOURCE: Chiron