Swiss drug maker Novartis is one of the top developers of new healthcare products that cater to a wide range of clientele. Their mission includes discovery and development of innovative diseases to combat diseases and they have certainly done that with the new Focetria pandemic influenza vaccine. They have recently acquired approval of this drug from the European Union. This drug will be manufactured only during the time when WHO (World Health Organization) declares a pandemic. With WHO’s approval Novartis will produce the vaccine incorporating the identified viral strain. The drug will also include the MF59 adjuvant that can prolong the supply of the vaccine. This is possible because the MF59 allows smaller amount of viral antigens to be utilized in each dosage.

Aside from being used in Focetria, Novartis also presented to the European Union another pre-pandemic H5N1 vaccine that also utilizes the MF59 adjuvant. Still subject for approval the H5N1 vaccine is aimed to be used before a pandemic is announced so as to boost the immune system against the H5N1 virus infections.