header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
November 18
1957 - Newhall County Library dedicated on Ninth Street; replaced by City of Santa Clarita's Old Town Newhall Library in 2012 [story]
Newhall Library


fdaThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it has approved Flublok, the first trivalent influenza vaccine made using an insect virus (baculovirus) expression system and recombinant DNA technology. Flublok is approved for the prevention of seasonal influenza in people 18 through 49 years of age.

Unlike current flu vaccines, Flublok does not use the influenza virus or eggs in its production. Flublok’s novel manufacturing technology allows for production of large quantities of the influenza virus protein, hemagglutinin (HA) – the active ingredient in all inactivated influenza vaccines that is essential for entry of the virus into cells in the body. The majority of antibodies that prevent influenza virus infection are directed against HA. While the technology is new to flu vaccine production, it is used to make vaccines that have been approved by the FDA to prevent other infectious diseases.

“This approval represents a technological advance in the manufacturing of an influenza vaccine,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The new technology offers the potential for faster start-up of the vaccine manufacturing process in the event of a pandemic, because it is not dependent on an egg supply or on availability of the influenza virus.”

Each year, the FDA, World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health experts collaborate on the review of influenza disease surveillance and laboratory data collected from around the world in an effort to identify strains that may cause the most illness in the upcoming season. Based on that information and on the recommendations of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, the FDA selects the different influenza strains each year that manufacturers should include in their vaccines for the U.S. population for the upcoming influenza season. The closer the match between the circulating strains causing disease and the strains in the vaccine, the better the protection against influenza.

Flublok contains three, full-length, recombinant HA proteins to help protect against two influenza virus A strains, H1N1 and H3N2, and one influenza virus B strain.

As it does with all influenza vaccines, the FDA will evaluate Flublok annually prior to use by the public each flu season. The recombinant HA proteins produced in the baculovirus expression system and included in Flublok will be assessed by the FDA.

The effectiveness of Flublok was evaluated in a study conducted at various sites in the United States that compared the use of Flublok in about 2,300 people to a placebo that was given to a control group of similar size. Flublok was about 44.6 percent effective against all circulating influenza strains, not just the strains that matched the strains included in the vaccine.

Flublok’s safety evaluation was conducted in a study of about 2,500 people who were vaccinated with Flublok. The most commonly reported adverse events included pain at the site of injection, headache, fatigue and muscle aches, events also typical for conventional egg-based, inactivated influenza vaccines.

Flublok has a shelf life of 16 weeks from the date of manufacture. Health care providers should check the expiration date before administering Flublok.

Flublok is manufactured by Protein Sciences Corp, of Meriden, Conn.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

No Comments

    Leave a Comment


    SCV NewsBreak
    LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
    Monday, Nov 18, 2024
    Dec. 7: 17th Annual Family Literacy Festival at Old Town Newhall Library
    Santa Clarita Public Libraries present 17th Annual Family Literacy Festival on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Old Town Newhall Library, 24500 Main St., Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
    Monday, Nov 18, 2024
    Public Health Investigates E. Coli Linked to Organic Carrots
    The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two local cases of E. coli associated with a multistate outbreak linked to multiple brands of recalled organic whole bagged carrots and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms.
    Monday, Nov 18, 2024
    Nov. 25: Celebrate the Opening of the New Bouquet Canyon Trail
    After months of development, the Bouquet Canyon Trail in Saugus is ready to open. Join members of the Santa Clarita City Council, the Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition and the community for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. at Central Park, near the basketball courts, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
    Keep Up With Our Facebook

    Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
    The regular meeting of the William S. Hart Union High School District’s Governing Board will be held Wednesday, Nov. 20, beginning with a closed session at 6:15 p.m., followed by an open session at 7 p.m.
    Nov. 20: Hart Board Regular Meeting
    For the first time since 2018, The Master's University's women's volleyball team has won the GSAC Championship Tournament, this time defeating the Benedictine Mesa Redhawks 21-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-18 Saturday Nov. 16 in The MacArthur Center.
    TMU Women’s Volleyball Wins GSAC Championship
    Olive Branch Theatricals will present "Plaid Tidings: A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid" weekends beginning Saturday, Nov. 30- Sunday, Dec. 15 at The Patios at Valencia Town Center, 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia, CA 91355.
    Nov. 30: ‘Plaid Tidings’ A Special Holiday Edition of Forever Plaid
    Supervisor Kathryn Barger has helped an artwork find its home in the high desert through the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s sculpture loan program.
    Barger Brings ‘Saddle’ LACMA Sculpture to the Antelope Valley
    College of the Canyons Women's Soccer pushed its unbeaten streak to seven games with a 2-1 road victory over Antelope Valley College on Nov. 12, and followed that with a 3-0 win over LA Valley College on Nov. 15. That has the Lady Cougars riding an eight-game unbeaten streak as the team prepares for Round 1 of the 3C2A SoCal Regional playoffs.
    COC Women’s Soccer Takes Unbeaten Streak into Playoffs
    The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board will take place Tuesday, Nov. 19 beginning at 6:30 p.m.
    Nov. 19: SUSD Regular Board Meeting
    Sun Princess, the newest and next-level Love Boat from Princess Cruises, has been named a 2025 Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award Winner.
    Sun Princess Wins Good Housekeeping 2025 Family Travel Award
    Santa Clarita Public Libraries present 17th Annual Family Literacy Festival on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Old Town Newhall Library, 24500 Main St., Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
    Dec. 7: 17th Annual Family Literacy Festival at Old Town Newhall Library
    The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two local cases of E. coli associated with a multistate outbreak linked to multiple brands of recalled organic whole bagged carrots and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms.
    Public Health Investigates E. Coli Linked to Organic Carrots
    After months of development, the Bouquet Canyon Trail in Saugus is ready to open. Join members of the Santa Clarita City Council, the Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition and the community for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. at Central Park, near the basketball courts, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
    Nov. 25: Celebrate the Opening of the New Bouquet Canyon Trail
    The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office has released the list of six productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, Nov. 18 to Friday, Nov. 22.
    Nov. 18-24: Six Productions Filming in Santa Clarita
    1957 - Newhall County Library dedicated on Ninth Street; replaced by City of Santa Clarita's Old Town Newhall Library in 2012 [story]
    Newhall Library
    1969 - Construction begins on Magic Mountain amusement park [story]
    Magic Mountain under construction
    1941 - Rose (stagecoach) Station at bottom of Grapevine dedicated as California Historical Landmark [story]
    Rose Station marker
    The Fourth Annual Barnyard Light Tour at William S. Hart Regional Park presented by the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, 5-7:30 p.m.
    Dec. 14: Fourth Annual Hart Barnyard Light Tour
    William S. Hart Union High School District junior high schools (Arroyo Seco, La Mesa, Placerita, Rancho Pico, Rio Norte and Sierra Vista) have been ranked in the top 14% of middle schools in the State of California by U.S. News & World Report.
    U.S. News Ranks Hart Junior Highs in Top 14%
    Local and federal law enforcement officials conducted a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation on Wednesday, Nov. 13, that resulted in the arrest of several individuals.
    Arrests Made in Large Multi-Agency Drugs, Firearms Operation
    Sunday, Nov. 17 is National Take a Hike Day. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has a few tips to share to celebrate the day safely.
    Nov. 17: National Take a Hike Day Safety Tips
    The popular "I Found Sammy Clarita campaign" is back and Sammy Clarita has a new look and a new book, "Sammy Stories, Volume 5, They Call it Puppy Love."
    Sammy Clarita is Back with New Book, New Look
    Barbie fans of all ages, this one’s for you. The Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour is continuing its 2024 tour of the West with a stop in Valencia on Saturday, Nov. 16.
    Nov. 16: The ‘Barbie’ Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour
    The November city of Santa Clarita Community Hike will be held Saturday, Nov. 16, 9 a.m. at East Walker Ranch Open Space, located on Placerita Canyon Road, 2.5 miles east of the Placerita Canyon Nature Center.
    Nov. 16: East Walker Ranch Free Community Hike
    1978 - Southern Pacific Saugus depot closes; later moved to Hart Park [story]
    Saugus depot
    Finally Family Homes is looking for tiny home building assistant volunteers to help create affordable housing while making a pathway to ownership attainable for college-aged foster youth.
    Volunteers Needed to Help Build Tiny Homes
    The city of Santa Clarita has announced that starting Friday, Nov. 15 evening at 9 p.m. through Sunday Nov. 17 morning at 6 a.m., there will be a full road closure on Copper Hill Drive between Avenida Rancho Tesoro and McBean Parkway.
    Nov. 15-17: Lane Closures for Copper Hill Bridge Widening Project
    SCVNews.com