Siena group employs 1,400 people, 250 researchers - Pharmaceutical multinational Novartis is set to produce the first bird flu vaccine in their Sienese laboratories.
The possibility that the avian flu could turn into a pandemic was a much discussed topic during the recent Research Days conference. Over 300 researchers from all over the world were present.
The vaccine will be produced in the company's Rosia (Siena) laboratories which employ more than 1,400 people (of which 250 are researchers). The labs have recently received more than 250 million Euro in investments for 2006-2007.
Another Novartis vaccine production centre will be built in North Carolina (USA). Novartis brought in internal and external specialists during the internationally attended Research Days conference.
Novartis took advantage of the conference to affirm its commitment to international scientific research and to highlight their results and level of excellence in the vaccination sector.
