10th may 2011, 11:21 am by Olivia D'Orazio

Sanofi-Aventis (EPA:SAN) (NYSE:SNY) said Tuesday that its vaccine division, Sanofi Pasteur, has received a licensing approval from the US FDA for its new flu virus vaccine that is injected with a short, thin needle in through the mid-level layer of the skin, instead of the muscle, of those being vaccinated.

The vaccine, Fluzone Intradermal, will be used for immunization against the influenza virus in adults aged 18 to 64, and represents the first flu vaccine licensed in the US that uses a small needle for a skin injection.

“The microinjection delivery system utilized in Fluzone Intradermal vaccine provides reliable and easy delivery of the vaccine into the dermal layer of the skin, an attractive site for immunization,” said president and CEO of Sanofi Pasteur, Olivier Charmeil.

The influenza virus tends to become prevalent during the fall-winter season, with widespread outbreaks across the globe. Symptoms include fever, cough and general malaise. Complications, such as pneumonia, can occur, especially in older adults or in people who suffer from a chronic disease.

Vaccination, usually by a needle injection into the muscle, often protects against the virus. A typical needle measures about 1.5 inches in length, whereas the Fluzone Intradermal vaccine is administered into the dermal layer of the skin, with a needle that is 0.06 inches long.

This method of vaccine administration, called microinjection, is less intrusive and is easier to administer. The Fluzone Intradermal vaccine includes a pre-filled syringe that deposits influenza antibodies in the mid-level of the skin, an area that contains high levels of dendritic cells, which are strongly involved in fighting off an infection.

Sanofi Pasteur has previously licensed intradermal microinjections in over forty countries, including Canada, Europe and Australia, marketed as Intanza or IDflu.

Fluzone Intradermal is expected to be available to US healthcare providers for the 2011 – 2012 flu season.