H1N1 vaccine is biotech success

With certification from the Cabinet-level Department of Health (DOH), Adimmune's H1N1 vaccine will begin to be administered to elementary schoolchildren, preschoolers, pregnant women and seriously ailing or injured patients Nov. 16 in line with a priority list for recipients of free vaccinations.

In a symbolic gesture of support for the locally developed vaccine, President Ma Ying-jeou is scheduled to receive a shot of the Adimmune H1N1 vaccine on its first day on the market.

The success of the vaccine production program marks a breakthrough in Taiwan's biopharmaceutical technology development.

Situated at the start of a winding country road surrounded by rice paddies, Adimmune's vaccine factory does not quite fit with the idea that a high-tech vaccine production facility should be housed in a carefully designed biotech industrial park. On the contrary, the factory is an obscure structure hidden behind a strikingly decorated Taoist temple.

Its unimpressive outlook, however, in no way diminishes its outstanding achievement as Taiwan's first and the world's 12th swine flu vaccine production facility.

As part of a massive H1N1 immunization program amid the global outbreak, the government has ordered 10 million doses of Adimmune's vaccine,in addition to procuring5 million doses from the multinational pharmaceutical supplier Novartis. The immunization program kicked off Nov.1, with Typhoon Morakot survivors and health care personnel getting shots first in line.

When Adimmune announced its H1N1 vaccine development program in May, it met stiff resistance, with some health care professionals even saying outright that they would boycott the local product.

Adimmune Chairman Chan Chi-hsien, a former DOH minister, expressed full confidence in his company's ability, however, and gave an assurance that if his company's vaccine did not meet international standards, production would be halted completely and the vaccine would not enter the market.

With its production facility passing certification and the vaccine completing human clinical trials, doubts and criticisms were gradually replaced by praise and affirmation. Last week, the vaccine finally received DOH marketing certification.

Ma's decision to get a shot of Adimmune vaccine is expected to give more endorsement to the product, now being billed as yet another “pride of Taiwan.”

Chen Chien-jen, an Academia Sinica academician who has also served as DOH minister, said the vaccine's success is an important achievement because epidemic control forms an integral part of national security.

“It is admirable and enviable that half of Taiwan's population will be able to be immunized against swine flu while some other countries are facing vaccine shortages,” Chen said, adding that Adimmune's success can also help fuel domestic biopharmaceutical development.

Huang Li-ming, director of National Taiwan University Hospital's pediatric infectious disease department, admitted that between 10 percent and 20 percent of local parents remain doubtful about the safety and effectiveness of the locally produced H1N1 vaccine.

“In recent weeks, I have often been grilled during outpatient clinics as to whether Adimmune vaccine is safe or which one — the locally produced one or the Novartis vaccine — is better, “ Huang said.

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