Sanofi Pasteur Begins Shipments of Fluzone(R), Influenza Virus Vaccine for 2009-2010 Seasonal...( SWIFTWATER Pa. July...),Health

SWIFTWATER, Pa., July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today that it has shipped the first doses of the 2009-2010 formulation of Fluzone((R)), Influenza Virus Vaccine. Fluzone vaccine is indicated for active immunization in people 6 months of age and older against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B contained in the seasonal influenza vaccine. Fluzone vaccine is the only vaccine licensed in the United States for children as young as 6 months of age through adults.

Sanofi Pasteur, the only U.S. manufacturer of inactivated influenza vaccine, is committed to supporting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommendation for annual immunization against seasonal influenza. The company has begun shipment of its Fluzone vaccine to health-care providers to assist them in their early seasonal influenza immunization efforts. In total, Sanofi Pasteur expects to supply over 50 million doses of Fluzone vaccine to the U.S. for the 2009-2010 season.

Vaccination Timing

The CDC recommends that health-care providers begin their immunization efforts for seasonal influenza as soon as vaccine is available and continue their immunization efforts throughout the entire influenza season. Immunization for seasonal influenza remains a public health priority. On average each year, one out of five Americans suffers from seasonal influenza, approximately 226,000 are hospitalized and 36,000 die from influenza-related complications.

Although seasonal influenza cases typically peak in February, seasonal influenza can occur at any time from early fall to late spring. The influenza vaccine offers protection for the full season, so there is no
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