The New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Study Investigating the Safety and Efficacy of Baxter's Cell-Based Pandemic, Avian F...( First scientific peer-reviewed publi...),Health

First scientific, peer-reviewed publication showing the candidate vaccine

induced neutralizing antibodies against widely divergent H5N1 virus

DEERFIELD, Ill., June 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) announced publication in the June 12, 2008 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) of data demonstrating Baxter's candidate avian influenza (H5N1) vaccine, CELVAPAN, met Phase I/II trial endpoints for safety and immunogenicity (generating a functional immune response). This is the first peer-reviewed publication of study results for CELVAPAN, the first cell culture-derived avian influenza vaccine to undergo clinical evaluation. The primary authors of the manuscript are Hartmut J. Ehrlich, MD, vice president of global research and development for Baxter's BioScience business, and Noel Barrett, vice president of Baxter's vaccines research.

"Cell culture technology could represent the future of influenza vaccine production," said John Oxford, professor of Virology, The Queen Mary School of Medicine, London, United Kingdom. "Baxter has demonstrated the ability to rapidly make large quantities of the vaccine that may protect people against divergent H5N1 viruses."

Based on manufacturing processes, Vero cell technology may offer several advantages versus conventional egg-based vaccine technology. Baxter's Vero cell manufacturing process is more rapid due to its ability to use a "native" virus that does not need to be modified to allow growth in chicken eggs, therefore accelerating vaccine production.

"CELVAPAN combines innovative science and breakthrough production technology with the aim of protecting people against an H5N1 pandemic flu infection," said Hartmut J. Ehrlich, MD
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