CHICAGO—The Chicago Tribune reported that Baxter confirmed over the weekend that it is working with the World Health Organization on a potential vaccine to curb the swine flu virus outbreak that is blamed for deaths in Mexico and has been confirmed in the United States.
As reported by the Tribune, Baxter has a cell-based technology that allows the company to produce vaccines more rapidly in the event of a pandemic than a decades-old method that uses eggs and can take weeks or months longer. Although the egg-based method has produced safe and effective vaccines, analysts say Baxter's method can cut production times in half compared with the older process.
“Upon learning about the swine flu outbreak in Mexico, Baxter requested a virus sample from WHO to do laboratory testing for potentially developing an experimental vaccine," company spokesman Christopher Bona told the Tribune. Baxter would not say whether the United States or other countries have contacted the company to develop a stockpile against swine flu.
