ID :
61208
Tue, 05/19/2009 - 10:38
Auther :

Human vaccine for Influenza A developed: scientists


(ATTN: RECASTS title, lead; UPDATES with more details in para 4; ADDS government
official comments from para 9)
DAEJEON, May 18 (Yonhap) -- A group of South Korean scientists claimed Monday
they have succeeded in developing a human vaccine against Influenza A that may
possibly be used to stem the worldwide spread of the disease.

The scientists at Chungnam National University said they cultivated the "standard
virus" supplied by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and
created a non-toxic material that can be mass-produced cheaply.
The team said the vaccine was developed on Friday, 11 days after the CDC provided
the virus sample. Seo Sang-heui from the college of veterinary medicine led the
team at the university, which is located in the central city of Daejeon.
The vaccine strain has been named CNUK-RG A/CA/4xPR/8 (H1N1), with the scientists
at the school "confirming" its effectiveness through tests conducted on human and
monkey cell samples. They said they expect to produce a fully developed and
marketable vaccine in September, after basic clinical experiments are completed.
"The vaccine is probably the first developed in the world, with the university
team ready to provide the data to make the treatment material available to
pharmaceutical companies and research laboratories around the world free of
charge," Seo said. He said it may cost 60 million won (US$47,000) to fully
inoculate all of South Korea for the new flu virus.
He added that the World Health Organization (WHO) has been notified that the
vaccine will be provided with no conditions attached.
As of Sunday, the death toll from the epidemic stood at more than 70 people
worldwide, with infections reported in 36 countries and over 8,000 confirmed
cases reported to WHO. The flu is a variant strain of combined swine, bird and
common human flu viruses, and can be transmitted between people.
South Korea has confirmed three cases, and all three were released from
quarantine after showing no symptoms of the illness after treatment. No cases
have been reported since May 3.
Government authorities, meanwhile, exercised caution when commenting on the new
vaccine, saying the discovery requires thorough confirmation from both
international health agencies and local experts.
"It is too early to comment on the vaccine discovery since no independent tests
have been carried out," an official from the Korea Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (KCDC) said on condition of anonymity, hinting that Seo's team may
have only conducted elementary tests.
"With vaccines, a single individual or team cannot declare it is safe to
mass-produce a certain product since such a decision can only be made after
detailed examination of the research and its effects," the expert said.
Others in the health ministry pointed out that while scholars can claim at
liberty to have made a breakthrough, the government cannot overlook
internationally accepted procedures to verify and distribute vaccines.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)

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