Boost in Output of Antivirals to Treat Swine Flu Benefits Drug Firms

Drugs firms led by GlaxoSmithKline and Swiss group Roche have seen a jump in their share prices as they rush to crank up production of the few antiviral drugs shown to have been effective in the treatment of the new deadly strain of swine flu.

Governments around the world have been in contact with those specialist firms known to have expertise in the production of drugs to treat the flu virus and in the development vaccines to prevent its spread. They are keen to shore up stockpiles and prepare for a surge in vaccination demands in the northern hemisphere this winter.

Top of their list has been Glaxo, which has seen its share price leap 8% since the World Health Organization declared outbreaks of swine flu in the US and Mexico over the weekend to have become a "public health emergency of international concern".

The British company is urgently looking to increase production of Relenza, one of two anitviral treatments found to be effective against the new flu strain. Glaxo has been in talks with the WHO, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the health department in the US, and the government of Mexico.

Since the start of the outbreak, Glaxo has supplied 100,000 packs of Relenza, an inhaled drug, and 170,000 additional doses of its seasonal flu vaccine to the Mexican authorities at their request.

Also besieged with requests is Swiss firm Roche which makes the antiviral pill Tamiflu. The company has pledged to use its "rapid response stockpile" as directed by the WHO, though no request has been made yet.

Several drug firms with expertise in developing vaccines have been in touch with the WHO requesting samples of the virus in order to begin work on a preventative. French firm Sanofi-Aventis said it was "ready to work" with international health officials when asked. Chicago-based Baxter International has asked the WHO for samples, but none have arrived yet.

Companies producing face masks are boosting production to meet a surge in demand. Kimberley Clark said it had increased production and would not run out of stock. "We are closely monitoring our inventory, and have increased production ... in order to minimize potential disruptions in our ability to meet customer demand."