A swine flu vaccine made using insect cells is only months away from being available in Australia as researchers seek approvals for human trials.
The University of Queensland has produced Australia's first batch of a new candidate vaccine against the A(H1N1) swine flu virus.
US firm Protein Sciences developed the vaccine earlier this month and is transferring its technology to other countries. This is part of an agreement with the United Nations and the World Health Organisation to ensure a vaccine is available to all UN member countries.
Professor Anton Middelberg, from the university's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, announced yesterday that scientists had successfully developed a batch for research purposes.
''It all depends on the regulatory process but I'd say we are months away from a swine flu vaccine.''
The vaccine is not yet registered for use in Australia, but Professor Middelberg said it was hoped that clinical trials could be fast tracked.
Protein Sciences is seeking to conduct clinical trials on healthy adults in Australia, the United States and Mexico.
Protein Sciences said the vaccine should be ready to use in clinical trials or for vaccinations in various countries by mid-July, depending on regulatory clearance.
The company says it can produce about 100,000 doses of the vaccine a week using cell culture technology.
Professor Middelberg said cell culture, in this case insect cells, was far more effective and could deliver vaccines within weeks compared to the slower traditional method of growing live viruses in eggs.
''We are expecting Australia will be one of the first to benefit from this new technology,'' he said.
''This new technology, when fully realised, will enable us to respond to influenza within days rather than of weeks.
''When that happens we'll be able to defeat influenza.''
So far, a total of seven Australians with swine flu have died, but all those cases involved patients with other underlying health issues.
The deaths of two men in Victora, aged 50 and 85, raised Australia's tally of swine flu-related deaths to seven, five of which have occured in Victoria. Western Australia and South Australia have each recorded one A(H1N1)-related death.
The ACT had 161 confirmed cases as of yesterday, and the nationwide tally was 4038.
Victoria's deputy chief health officer Rosemary Lester said the Department of Human Services was told of the most recent deaths over the weekend.
''The 50-year-old was being treated for a life-threatening cancer and was later diagnosed with H1N1 influenza 09,'' Dr Lester said. ''He died while receiving treatment in hospital.
''The 85-year-old man also had a range of underlying medical conditions and was being treated in hospital. These pre-existing conditions made him more susceptible to any influenza-like illnesses.''
Indonesia will ask all people arriving from Australia and other swine flu-affected countries to wear face masks for at least three days.
The virus was confirmed in Indonesia last week and so far four of the eight known cases have been foreigners. Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said yesterday, ''We'll give them the masks when they arrive at the airports and tell them to wear them for three days.''