Switzerland has apparently ordered enough of an experimental bird flu vaccine to inoculate it's entire population.
In so doing the Swiss have become the first country to bulk buy a supply of GlaxoSmithKline's bird flu vaccine for humans.
In trials earlier this year the vaccine demonstrated a more than 80 percent strong immune response in test subjects.
The vaccine has an extra ingredient in the vaccine formulation which is designed to increase the immunogenicity of the vaccine as well as potentially offering protection against variant virus strains.
According to Europe's biggest drug maker the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health has placed an order for 8 million doses of its H5N1 vaccine, enough to protect its entire population in the event of a influenza pandemic.
The vaccine is expected to be supplied and stockpiled in early 2007 as soon as the Swiss regulatory agency, Swissmedic, has reviewed and approved the regulatory file for the product.
Glaxo is also working with other governments across Europe on pandemic preparation plans and aims to apply for approval for the vaccine with the European Medicines Agency by the end of 2006.
Glaxo's pre-pandemic vaccine uses only a very low dose of active ingredient based on the bird flu virus from Vietnam.
This means the vaccine will stretch further which is vital if a vaccine has to be produced quickly for millions of people around the world.
The challenge has always been how to make the maximum number of shots from the minimum amount of antigen, or active ingredient, in the shortest possible time.
Though the pre-pandemic vaccine offers protection against the deadly H5N1 avian flu virus currently circulating, how it will impact on any mutated strain of virus is uncertain.