Preparation for H7N9 vaccine

With the growing pandemic potential of the H7N9 virus, China has announced a joint research project to develop diagnostic tests and a vaccine.

A surge in bird flu cases in China and calls for a vaccine.

China's scientific research and health authorities have announced a new project to fight the H7N9 virus, including a plan to develop a vaccine within seven months.

Feng Zijian, Director Health Emergency Center, China CDC, said, "Flu labs in China and around the world are working on the virus. Currently, the working stage involves screening the right seed strain before a vaccine can be produced."

The World Health Orgnization issued a statement on Wednesday, saying that the seed strain that can be used for the vaccine will be released in a few weeks.

And the Chinese side is also working closely on it.

Zou Yong, director of H7N9 Vaccine Project, Sinovac Biotech CO., LTD, said, "Before the release of the right seed strain, we are doing all we can during the preparation stage, such as storing enough chicken embryos, preparing staff, and putting the right equipment in place."

The director says it may take more time to go from research to production, compared with the swine flu of 2009.

Zou Yong said, "Take the swine flu as an example, we made the vaccine in three months. But so far, all we have is uncertain information about the new deadly virus, it might take more than three months. We'll do our best to develop the vaccine within the required seven months."

Experts say they're working closely with the flu labs of the WHO and once the seed strain is released work will start on research into making the vaccine. But whether the work goes from the research phase into the production phase, depends on how the influenza pandemic develops.

There's consensus among the medical research community that the development process of influenza vaccines has benefited from the experience with previous outbreaks of flu virus, such as H5N1 and H1N1.

Special report: H7N9 avian influenza