Hungary bird flu vaccine sparks foreign interest

The United States, Britain and Russia have expressed interest in an experimental Hungarian vaccine against deadly bird flu after initial human tests proved promising, Hungary's government said yesterday.

Other countries interested in buying the vaccine include Indonesia, Ukraine, the Philippines and Mongolia, but concrete talks on purchases had not started yet, government spokesman Andras Batiz said.

The vaccine, applicable for the deadly H5N1 form of the virus, was tested on around 100 volunteers including Hungary's health minister in late September. Preliminary results released on Wednesday indicated the necessary immune response needed for effectiveness.

Hungary says it could eventually produce 500,000 vaccines a week, and that it would require 3.5 million doses for its population of 10 million. It could later raise production to tens of millions if needed for export. The Hungarian vaccines would cost $5-6 each, with revenues split between the state and Omninvest, a private company which will manufacture the drugs. Hungarian citizens would get the jabs for free.

The vaccine's development, carried out by Hungary's national epidemology centre and Omninvest, would have to be restarted if a virus strain other than H5N1 were to infect humans.