AVAN

Bird flu likely in US flocks soon: Health Secretary

This is now a daily news focus and it's only going to get worse. So we're adding AVAN to our Bird Flu Basket this morning.

Allan,

Let's add another company to your biotech basket, AVAN.

AVAN just got European Regulatory Approval of their Rotarix, a
Rotavirus Vaccine, which is partnered with GlaxoSmithKline, and which
triggered a $40 million payment.

But, more relevantly to bird flu,

AVAN's breaking into the bird flu vaccine arena:

"AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAN) today announced that it
has formed a research team to focus on development of an avian flu
vaccine utilizing in part AVANT's proprietary bacterial vectoring
technologies and VitriLife(R) preservation processes.

"The combination of conserved antigens together with our existing
vaccine technologies could lead to an avian flu vaccine with product
characteristics ideal for mass vaccinations: safe and effective,
single-dose, oral, storable at room temperature,".....

AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. discovers and develops innovative
vaccines and therapeutics that harness the human immune system to
prevent and treat disease. Six of AVANT's products are in clinical
development, including a treatment to reduce complement-mediated
tissue damage associated with cardiac bypass surgery and a novel
vaccine for cholesterol management. AVANT is also developing a
pipeline of bacteria-fighting products for biodefense, travelers'
vaccines, and global health needs based on AVANT'S rapid-protecting,
single-dose, oral and temperature stable vaccine technology.

Ilene