Taiwan works on H7N9 flu vaccine, aims for late 2014
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Taiwan is scheduled to roll out its first vaccine against the H7N9 strain of avian flu in late 2014, after the island confirmed the first outbreak of the deadly virus earlier this year, researchers said yesterday.
Health authorities in Taiwan confirmed in April that a 53-year-old Taiwanese man, who had been working in Suzhou City of east China’s Jiangsu Province, showed symptoms three days after returning home via Shanghai.
The man, who was infected on the mainland, was in serious but stable condition when he was hospitalized.
Although the patient was eventually discharged, the outbreak prompted Taiwan authorities to gear up research on a vaccine against the strain of avian influenza, given the ever closer exchanges across the Taiwan Strait.
“We plan to start Phase II clinical trial in March,” which will contain 300 clinical cases, said Su Ih-jen, director of Taiwan’s Institute of Diseases and Vaccinology.
After that, the project is scheduled to move into Phase III clinical trial in June, with 1,000 people being tested, he said, adding that the institute will be able to produce 200,000 doses of the cell-based vaccine once the project clears the Phase III trial stage.
Su termed the flu as “one of the most deadly diseases” threatening human beings.
“As of now H7N9 is the virus most likely to cause comprehensive transmission throughout the world as studies show that it can be spread through upper respiratory tract,” Su said.
He was comparing it to the H5N1 strain of avian flu, which affects airways and lungs, or the lower respiratory tract.
Since 2003, the H5N1 strain has killed more than 250 people in a dozen countries, according to the World Health Organization.
As of August, WHO has been informed of a total of 135 laboratory-confirmed human cases with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus, including 44 deaths.
Most of the cases were recorded in China.
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