GSK is committed to supporting governments and health authorities around the world respond to the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza strain.

Recently, the company confirmed that it had contracts in place to supply 195 million doses of its pandemic (H1N1) 2009 adjuvanted influenza vaccine and had a variety of agreements in place with the US Government to supply pandemic products worth $250 million. Since that date, nine government contracts have been signed for a further 96 million doses of the vaccine. This now brings the total number of doses ordered for GSK's adjuvanted vaccine to 291 million. Discussions continue with governments for further supplies of the vaccine.

First supplies of the vaccine will be available to governments from September onwards, with shipments expected in the second half of 2009 and early 2010. The exact place of delivery will be dependent on capacity and the yield of the influenza strain.

To ensure that the vaccine is available to developing nations, and subject to the yield and existing contractual commitments, GSK has allocated 20 per cent of production at its Canadian manufacturing site to developing countries from early September onwards. Included within this capacity is GSK's proposed donation of 50 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine to the WHO. Ongoing discussions with developing country governments may well lead to an increase in the percentage of output supplied to developing countries. GSK is operating a tiered-pricing policy for its vaccine, based on World Bank classification of countries and GAVI eligibility.