Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis reported Thursday progress in clinical trials on a vaccine for swine flu saying one dose had led to successful immunization in 80 per cent of subjects, dpa reported. Tests done on 100 healthy volunteers also reveled that 90 per cent became immune to swine flu if they were given two doses. Novartis' vaccine for the pandemic A(H1N1) virus, as swine flu is technically known, would be called Celtura, the company said in a statement. "The pilot trial results are encouraging," said Andrin Oswald, the head of vaccines at the Basel-based drugmaker. "The study suggests that while two doses seem to provide better protection, one dose of our ... Celtura vaccine may be sufficient to protect adults against the swine flu," Oswald said according to the statement. With limited supplies of swine flu vaccine expected to be ready in time for winter in the Northern Hemisphere, health officials have expressed some concern that the effective yield of the drug would be cut in half if people required two doses for immunization. -- SPA
