Chiron Gets Contract for Bird Flu Vaccine

WASHINGTON – The government has awarded Chiron Corp. a $62 million contract to manufacture a bird flu vaccine.

The Chiron contract, announced Thursday by Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, is the second bird flu vaccine contract awarded by the government.

Sanofi-Aventis has a $100 million contract to produce shots to protect against bird flu.

It was not clear how many total shots the two companies would produce because dosages are still being worked out.

Chiron had been the major U.S. supplier of regular flu vaccine until factory problems last year forced suspension of deliveries. The company has resumed production for this winter and expects to ship up to 18 million doses.

Leavitt spoke at the National Press Club as the Bush administration finalizes its plans for dealing with the possibility of a pandemic if the H5N1 bird flu strain mutates into a form that can easily be passed between people.