PowderJect forecasts jump in flu vaccine sales

Pharmaceutical firm PowderJect today forecasted sales of its flu vaccine in the coming year would jump more than 40% over last year’s figure.

The global flu vaccine market - currently worth £340m is expected to be worth £610m by 2005, the Oxford-based firm said.

It added last year’s decision by the US to reduce the recommended age for vaccination from 65 to 50 years would drive growth in the market - boosting the target market by 40 million people.

PowderJect currently distributes 20% of flu vaccination doses in the US and 35% in the UK, where the disease causes up to 4,000 deaths each year.

It is forecasting the £40.6m sales of its vaccine recorded for the year to March 2001, will jump by more than 40% in the year to March 2002.

Chairman Dr Paul Drayson said: ‘‘To help ensure that sufficient supplies of flu vaccine are available in coming years as demand continues to grow, we are investing approximately £13m in our manufacturing facilities in Liverpool to significantly increase capacity.’’

In addition to its two sites in Britain, PowderJect has operations in Sweden and the US.