A vaccine that should provide protection against H5N1 flu in advance of a pandemic has moved closer to becoming available, after passing an important regulatory hurdle.

The “prepandemic” vaccine, made by GlaxoSmithKline, has received a positive opinion from the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, the first step towards obtaining a licence to be sold across the continent. The positive opinion means that regulators have accepted GSK’s trial data about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, and clears the way for it to be approved by the European Medicines Agency. A formal decision is expected this year.

The vaccine, named Prepandrix, is then likely to be stockpiled by most European governments as part of their strategies for preparing for a flu pandemic. The UK has ordered 3.3 million doses to cover key workers, subject to licensing. Prepandemic vaccines are designed to provide partial protection against a pandemic strain of influenza before it emerges.

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