Flublok® Influenza Vaccine is now Nationwide

MERIDEN, Conn., Sept. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Protein Sciences Corporation announced today that Flublok Influenza Vaccine, that was shown to provide better protection against the flu than a traditional flu vaccine in a recent clinical study, is now available nationwide.  Not only does Flublok work well, it is the only flu vaccine that is free of all of the following undesirable ingredients: formaldehyde, antibiotics, gluten, gelatin, egg protein, latex, thimerosal and other preservatives.  This makes it the pure choice for flu protection for adults 18 and older.

Getting Flublok has never been easier.  National retailers Target and Walmart are offering Flublok.  Flublok is also available in many regional supermarkets and independent pharmacies, including Mariano's and Roundy's in the Chicago area, Brookshire's in Texas, and Price Chopper in the Northeast.  Passport Health Clinics will once again offer Flublok at its sites nationwide. Passport patients can even book their vaccines online.

"We are pleased to partner with leading pharmacies to greatly expand access to our vaccine," said Manon Cox, President and CEO of Protein Sciences Corporation. "Anyone over 18 years of age will be able to walk into Target, Mariano's, Roundy's or Brookshire's nationwide and receive Flublok.  At other stores, people are encouraged to call the pharmacy in advance to make sure Flublok is in stock when they come in for vaccination.  Nearly all insurance providers cover Flublok so most people can get Flublok free of charge."  

Flublok has found special appeal among health conscious individuals that prefer its purity and its popularity is growing among people focused on better protection.  In a recent clinical study of the quadrivalent version of Flublok in approximately 9,000 adults 50 years and older, Flublok recipients were 43% less likely to develop culture confirmed influenza than people who received a licensed quadrivalent egg-based influenza vaccine.

For more information about Flublok and where to get it, please visit www.flublok.com.

About Protein Sciences

Protein Sciences specializes in vaccine development and protein production.   Our mission is our inspiration: to save lives and improve health through the creation of innovative vaccines and biopharmaceuticals.     

Flublok, the world's first recombinant protein-based vaccine for the prevention of seasonal influenza disease, was approved by FDA in January 2013.  Flublok is the only flu vaccine made in a 100% egg-free system using modern cell culture technology, making it unnecessary to use an infectious influenza virus or antibiotics in manufacturing.  Flublok is highly purified and does not contain any preservatives (e.g., thimerosal, a mercury derivative), egg proteins, gelatin or latex.  In addition, Flublok contains three times more antigen than traditional flu vaccines (3x45mcg hemagglutinin protein versus 3x15mcg hemagglutinin protein)*.   Flublok is a perfect copy of the virus coat and is not subject to the egg-adapted mutations associated with low vaccine effectiveness (see Skowronski et al. (2014) PLOS ONE 9(3), e92153).

Healthcare professionals wishing to order Flublok should contact one of the following distributors:

• FFF Enterprises: 800-843-7477 www.myfluvaccine.com
• Cardinal Health: 866-677-4844 http://www.cardinal.com/us/en/SPD/Ordering
• McKesson: 877-MCK-4FLU mms.mckesson.com
• Henry Schein: 1-800-772-4346 www.henryschein.com

Learn more at www.proteinsciences.com and www.flublok.com.

Flublok Safety Information

Flublok is approved for people 18 and older to prevent influenza disease.  The most common side effect from Flublok is pain at the site of injection. Headache, fatigue or muscle ache may occur.  Tell the doctor if you have ever experienced Guillain-Barre syndrome (severe muscle weakness) or have had a severe allergic reaction to any component of Flublok vaccine.  Vaccination with Flublok may not protect all individuals. Clinical effectiveness in adults 50 and older is based on the immune response elicited by Flublok and not on demonstration of decreased influenza disease.  Please see the complete Package Insert available at www.flublok.com or call 203-686-0800 for more information.

*Flublok demonstrated a higher antibody response to the A strains during 2 clinical trials in adults >50 years old.  The B strain antibody response was comparable to traditional trivalent vaccines.

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SOURCE Protein Sciences Corporation

Related Links

http://www.proteinsciences.com