29 Apr FluGen applauds efforts to accelerate cell-based influenza vaccine production
MADISON – The following is a statement by Paul V. Radspinner, president and chief executive of Madison, Wis.-based FluGen Inc., regarding the request made of Congress yesterday by President Obama for $1.5 billion in emergency funding to combat the growing swine flu outbreak. FluGen was co-founded by Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka, the world-renowned influenza researcher who established the “reverse genetics” method that revolutionized influenza research.
“We applaud President Obama, Sen. Harkin, Rep. Obey and Rep. Baldwin for their efforts to accelerate the development of new influenza vaccine production methods. These efforts are critical to the United States’ efforts to control the global swine flu outbreak. New, cell-based production methods would dramatically improve the country’s ability to fight this growing public health concern.
“FluGen’s cell-based manufacturing technology, in particular, would speed production and delivery of significantly higher volumes of influenza vaccines than current egg-based methods. Egg-based methods have a number of well-known limitations, the most notable of which is the availability of sufficient chicken eggs to meet the demand for vaccine in a pandemic. We look forward to working with national leaders in both the executive and legislative branches to ensure that the United States is fighting the swine flu outbreak as effectively and efficiently as possible.”
About FluGen Inc.
FluGen is an emerging leader in the development, production and delivery of influenza and related infectious disease products. The company has differentiating technologies that enable it to create value and compete in the large, rapidly growing influenza vaccine market. FluGen is actively advancing a valuable product pipeline that provides the company with unique competitive advantages and addresses significant unmet customer needs. These products include a live attenuated vaccine candidate, a cell-line technology that provides improved vaccine production efficiency and capacity, and a novel, vaccine-loaded intradermal delivery technology. For more information about FluGen, please visit our web site at www.flugen.com.