UPDATE 2-Glaxo sees more big orders for H1N1 flu vaccine
* New orders expected beyond 128 mln doses bought last week
* H1N1 price in line with seasonal at about 5 pounds a dose
* Volume will depend on yield during vaccine production
* Strong demand also for Relenza flu drug
(Adds further quotes, details, background)
By Ben Hirschler
LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L: Quote, Profile, Research) expects to book further big orders for the H1N1 flu vaccine it is developing, pointing to higher earnings for the company in 2009.
"I fully anticipate that we will receive significantly more orders in the coming weeks and months," Chief Executive Andrew Witty said at the company's annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday. The world's second biggest drugmaker said last Friday that Britain, France, Belgium and Finland had between them placed orders for 128 million doses of H1N1 vaccine, and Witty said Glaxo was talking with "many more governments".
Countries around the world are seeking to build up stockpiles of vaccine to deal with a likely flu pandemic caused by the new H1N1 strain, also known as swine flu. Continued...
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