Novartis says swine flu shot works with single dose

Novartis's vaccine against H1N1 swine flu gave a strong immune response even after one dose in a pilot trial, the Swiss drugmaker said on Thursday.

The trial with 100 volunteers run by Britain's Leicester University showed a potentially protective immune response in 80 percent of subjects after one dose and more than 90 percent after two doses, Novartis said in a statement. "The study suggests that while two doses seem to provide better protection, one dose of our adjuvanted Celtura vaccine may be sufficient to protect adults against the swine flu," said Andrin Oswald, chief executive of Novartis vaccines unit.