Baxter International is collaborating with DVC LLC, a computer sciences corporation company, to develop cell-culture based influenza vaccines as part of a US Government contract award to DVC.

Baxter will develop seasonal (inter-pandemic) and pandemic vaccines using the company's vero-cell technology, which has the potential to significantly reduce production time compared to traditional vaccine production methods using embryonated hens' eggs. The development work to be performed by Baxter will support the licensure of a seasonal vaccine and the completion of clinical trials for a pandemic vaccine. DVC will manage the overall project as well as the clinical trials during the five-year development effort.

According to the release, under the terms of this agreement, a significant portion of the $40.97 million currently funded will go toward the development of the candidate pandemic vaccine and a seasonal influenza vaccine.

"We are very pleased that the US Government has chosen DVC and Baxter to pursue this important program," Joy Amundson, corporate vice president and president of Baxter's BioScience business said adding, "The combination of Baxter's vaccines technology and manufacturing capabilities with DVC's experience with government vaccine programs establishes an experienced team to manage this important program."

Cell-based systems for production of vaccines offer a number of potential benefits over more traditional, chicken egg-based systems. Baxter's vero-cell system is capable of producing high yields of influenza virus without the addition of any animal-derived serum.

"The threat of a pandemic is very real and with cases of H5N1 avian influenza appearing in new geographic areas, governments are taking notice," said John Oxford, professor of virology at St. Bartholomew's and the Royal London Hospital, Queen Mary's School of Medicine. "Baxter's use of vero-cell technology is a welcome advance in the production of influenza vaccine for both seasonal and pandemic influenza," he added.