Novartis announced that Celtura, the company's adjuvanted cell culture-based Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine, has received approval in Switzerland from Swissmedic, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products. This is the second marketing approval for the cell-culture based A(H1N1) pandemic vaccine in Europe. Celtura was approved in Germany earlier in November 2009. The company also has submitted a registration for Celtura in Japan, and will seek approval in a number of other countries.

Celtura is an MF59 adjuvanted inactivated influenza virus vaccine, approved by Swissmedic for the active immunization of persons three years of age and older against influenza disease caused by the novel pandemic A(H1N1) influenza virus. The vaccine will be available in Switzerland in pre-filled syringes and contains 3.75 micrograms (µg) of antigen and 0.125 ml of MF59.

Clinical trials conducted in more than 1,900 subjects evaluated Celtura's tolerability and immunogenicity. The studies showed that even with the lowest antigen content (3.75µg), a single Celtura dose can induce immune responses associated with protection against Influenza A(H1N1) in children over three and adults up to 40 years old. Safety and tolerability profiles showed the cell culture-derived influenza vaccine had a similar safety profile to adjuvanted egg-based vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). Local injection site (redness, swelling and pain) and systemic complaints of mild fever, headache and fatigue were the most frequent side effects reported and were of short duration.

"Cell-based flu vaccine production is cleaner and potentially faster than egg-based technologies," said Andrin Oswald, CEO of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics. "After Germany, Switzerland will be the second country in the world to benefit from our R&D investments aimed at improving the quality and speed of flu vaccine manufacturing. Our vaccine production capacity has now grown significantly at our licensed facility in Marburg, Germany. We are nearing completion of a second manufacturing site for cell culture-based influenza vaccines in the United States. This new facility was built in partnership with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in Holly Springs, North Carolina."

Novartis has invested significant resources to increase production of much-needed A(H1N1) pandemic vaccine through cell culture-based manufacturing technology. Celtura uses a validated cell culture line for production of viral antigen components rather than the traditional method of chicken eggs. The technology has previously been licensed in Europe for the production of Novartis' seasonal flu vaccine, Optaflu.

Celtura contains Novartis proprietary adjuvant, MF59 which has an established safety profile supported by more than 12 years of clinical safety data in Europe and more than 45 million doses of commercial use in the influenza vaccine Fluad (licensed in Europe).

Novartis has already begun delivery of the company's egg-based pandemic vaccines: A(H1N1) monovalent vaccine to the US, manufactured using Novartis' established seasonal Fluvirin platform, and Focetria A(H1N1) monovalent vaccine to countries around the world. The US Food and Drug Administration approved the former A(H1N1) vaccine on September 15, 2009, and the EMEA approved the Focetria A(H1N1) vaccine on September 29, 2009.