Chinese biotech company Hualan has set up China's first A/H1N1 flu seed bank. This marks the start of production for the flu vaccine.

The seed bank was established on Saturday in Henan Province in central China.

Hualan says it expects the first batch of the vaccine to be ready in around two weeks. But it will take further time for the vaccines to be tested for human injection.

Pan Ruowen, Deputy GM of Hualan Biological Engineering Inc., said, "The vaccines will be produced for thirteen clinical trials lasting for fourteen days. The process cannot be shortened and all procedures must follow strict regulations, so as to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines."

The company says of the four seed viruses it received from the World Health Organization, two have been used to set up the seed bank. It is duplicating the other two for further use.

Research work is also continuing at several other drug firms to produce more vaccines.

(CCTV June 15, 2009)