Sanofi-aventis to give pandemic flu vaccine to WHO

French drugmaker Sanofi-aventis is to donate millions of doses of influenza vaccine to the World Health Organization (WHO) to help developing countries face the current influenza pandemic.

Christopher Viehbacher, ceo of sanofi-aventis, said the company would make a "flexible donation" of 100 million doses of vaccines against swine flu (H1N1) and bird flu (H5N1).

"I want to back the WHO's call for common action to fight the influenza pandemic," he said. "Exceptional times request exceptional responses. We need to act responsibly, and we all have to play our part."

Once Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis, begins production of the A(H1N1) vaccine, it will reserve 10% of its output for the WHO as a donation to help address the influenza pandemic in developing countries.

Viehbacher said both influenza viruses are now present in many countries, including some of the world's poorest regions.

"This flexible donation aims to help the WHO address the needs of these most vulnerable populations," he said.

In the event that Sanofi Pasteur's manufacturing facilities become fully committed to the production of pandemic vaccine, the company will also supply this vaccine under a tiered-pricing policy for developing countries.