Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Biota says US govt orders more Relenza
March 23, 2006 - 2:52PM
Biota Holdings Ltd says the US government has ordered more of its influenza drug Relenza to strengthen its defence against a possible bird flu pandemic.
Biota said the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had ordered 2.2 million courses of the anti-viral drug from global pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
The biotechnology company licenses Relenza to GSK.
The order is in addition to the 1.75 million courses announced earlier this month.
Biota receives a royalty of seven per cent on Relenza sales.
The company said HHS secretary Mike Leavitt announced the plans yesterday as a bulwark against the deadly H5N1 strain in the event of a pandemic.
He said the government aims to stockpile enough antiviral drugs to treat 25 per cent of the US population.
The US has already stockpiled 5.5 million courses of antiviral drugs, including a rival drug - Tamiflu - made by Roche.
At 1318 AEDT Biota's shares rose 1.5 cents to $1.775.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/biota-says-us-govt-orders-more-relenza/2006/03/23/1143083879818.html
March 23, 2006 - 2:52PM
Biota Holdings Ltd says the US government has ordered more of its influenza drug Relenza to strengthen its defence against a possible bird flu pandemic.
Biota said the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had ordered 2.2 million courses of the anti-viral drug from global pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
The biotechnology company licenses Relenza to GSK.
The order is in addition to the 1.75 million courses announced earlier this month.
Biota receives a royalty of seven per cent on Relenza sales.
The company said HHS secretary Mike Leavitt announced the plans yesterday as a bulwark against the deadly H5N1 strain in the event of a pandemic.
He said the government aims to stockpile enough antiviral drugs to treat 25 per cent of the US population.
The US has already stockpiled 5.5 million courses of antiviral drugs, including a rival drug - Tamiflu - made by Roche.
At 1318 AEDT Biota's shares rose 1.5 cents to $1.775.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/biota-says-us-govt-orders-more-relenza/2006/03/23/1143083879818.html