The donation will help established a much needed stockpile of pre-pandemic vaccines that can be distributed to the world's poorest countries at short notice by the WHO. Delivered over a three year period, it will provide enough doses of vaccine for 25 million people at injections per person.

As the WHO has made clear, pandemic influenza poses a serious global public health threat with substantial estimated morbidity and mortality. The WHO has expressed its desire to create an international stockpile of H5N1 pre-pandemic vaccines, a strategy which received the endorsement of the 193 member states in attendance at the World Health Assembly In Geneva last month.

In addition to the donation, the company confirmed its intention to provide additional doses of its H5N1 adjuvant vaccine at preferential prices to the Who for GAVI-eligible countries following the necessary regulatory approvals. GSK intends to provide the vaccine to middle and low-income countries at preferential prices reflecting individual countries income level.

Jean-Pierre Garnier, CEO of GSK said, "An outbreak of pandemic flu could have a serious devastating effect on some of the poorest countries on our planet. As a healthcare company, GSK takes seriously it's responsibility to ensure access for the world's poorest people to our medicines and vaccines. This participation enables us to play a part in the WHO's efforts to coordinate a more comprehensive global solution to this potential healthcare crisis."