GSK's secret vaccine adjuvant draws attention

GlaxoSmithKline's success advancing two pandemic vaccines--Prepandrix and Pandemrix--relies on a secret formula that drives efficacy of a low antigen dose in these adjuvated products. According to In Vivo, Glaxo has been careful to keep the proprietary adjuvant secret throughout the approval process. As Glaxo has noted, a pandemic would require massive quantities of vaccine for any effective campaign to protect populations--and adjuvants are considered a key to making sure that vaccine stocks can be spread far and wide enough to prevent an outbreak. At some point, In Vivo notes, Glaxo will have to either unveil the adjuvant to European or U.S. regulatory officials.

- read the feature in In Vivo

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