May 14, 2007

EU approves Intervet's H7 bird flu vaccine

Animal health company Intervet has received approval for its bird flu vaccine Nobilis Influenza H7N1.

The company's Nobilis Influenza H5N2 was approved in 2006.

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) said that the current concerns have mainly focused on H5 strains, but the H7 strains should not be ignored.

If implemented in national control programmes, vaccination contributes substantially to controlling bird flu and reducing the circulation of the virus in the bird population, the committee opined.

The vaccine would have to be injected to get a full immune response.

Intervet is currently researching mass application vaccines that do not require injection.