April 16, 2007

Taiwan to use dog kidney cells to mass produce bird flu vaccine

Scientists in Taiwan's Vaccine Research and Development Centre are planning to produce a new human vaccine against bird flu on a mass scale using cells from dog kidneys.

Developed using a new cell-based technology, the vaccine was created by a team at Taiwan's over the last 13 months, AFX reported.

The use of dog kidney cells is an industry first, Pele Chong, the vaccine team's leader, told AFX.

The group decided not to use the traditional chicken-egg-based technology for fear of an egg shortage in a large-scale breakout. 

However, the use of animal kidney cells is not unprecedented. Baxter Vaccines is using cell-based technology in its product as well, though the company is using the African green monkey kidney cell.

Clinical trials are expected to start next year.

Cell-based vaccine making provides a faster alternative than egg-based methods.