# 2003
Regulators with the European Medicines Agency gave preliminary approval to GlaxoSmithKline's prepandemic vaccine last February, so it is not surprising that the European Commission followed their recommendations and gave final approval to Prepandrix today.
It is expected that this vaccine would be used in the early stages of a pandemic until a more closely matched vaccine can be produced.
GSK bird flu vaccine given green light
By Jonathan RussellLast Updated: 12:23am BST 19/05/2008
GlaxoSmithKline has received approval for the world's first wide-spectrum pre-pandemic vaccine against bird flu.
The approval, due to be formally given today by the European Commission, is the first time a drug designed to offer general protection against viruses linked to the H5N1 strain has received the regulatory go-ahead, according to the company.
The drug protects against a wide range of influenzas based on the H5N1 strains
GSK chief executive Jean-Pierre Garnier said: "This drug represents one of the swing factors affecting us in 2008. This is important for the company but it is more important in terms of global health."
Although the Prepandix vaccine has only just received regulatory approval, it achieved sales of $200m (£102m) last year as governments, including the US, Switzerland and Finland, stocked up on the drug.
