S. Korea becomes world's 12th flu vaccine producer

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has become the world's 12th influenza
vaccine producer as Green Cross Corp., a local vaccine developer started selling
its domestically developed seasonal vaccine on Wednesday, the company said.

Green Cross said it has obtained approval for the sale of its seasonal influenza
vaccine named "GCFlu" from the Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA).
South Korea previously imported all seasonal vaccines from overseas countries
until Green Cross started selling the vaccine.
The vaccine developer is planning to produce enough doses of its seasonal vaccine
to inoculate 3.3 million people by the end of this month, Green Cross said.
Green Cross also has got approval from the KFDA for the sale of FluMist, a nasal
spray influenza vaccine that was imported from U.S. MedImmune.
Seasonal influenza vaccine producers include the United States, Britain, France,
Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, the Czech Republic, Austria and Japan.

Green Cross expects to produce enough doses of type-A influenza vaccine to treat
5 million people this year.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
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