Company seeks approval for nasal spray flu vaccine

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By WSBT News1

Story Created: Jan 6, 2009 at 8:42 AM EST

Story Updated: Jan 6, 2009 at 8:42 AM EST

LONDON (AP) — Drugmaker AstraZeneca submitted a new drug application with European Union authorities to market a nasal spray vaccine against the flu, the company said Tuesday.

The marketing application has been submitted to the European Medicines Agency. The submission is based on data from 73 studies conducted in 38 countries.

"Influenza creates a heavy medical and economic burden on Europe and throughout the world, and we are hopeful that the future availability and product characteristics of this novel nasal spray influenza vaccine will contribute to an increase in vaccination rates and reduce the spread of influenza around the world," said Dr. Alex Zukiwski, chief medical officer of MedImmune, a subsidiary of AstraZeneca.

The nasal spray is already marketed in the United States under the trade name FluMist. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2003.

The flu vaccine is only given by injection in Europe.

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