GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to slash the amount of swine flu vaccine it will supply to Germany to approximately 70 percent of the original order, due to low demand for the shots.
The British-based drugmaker said on Tuesday it had reached an agreement with the German ministry of health to amend its existing contract to 34 million doses, from 50 million initially ordered.
Glaxo is also in discussion with other governments about reducing H1N1 vaccine supplies, including Britain, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium, a spokeswoman said.
Several countries have started to cut orders for flu vaccines because the pandemic has not turned out to be as deadly as originally feared and adults need only one dose, not two, to be fully protected.
Original orders for flu vaccine were placed in May, June and July, when it was not known what dose would be needed and it was not clear how severe the pandemic would be.
"Pandemics by their nature are unpredictable and we recognise that governments' needs are changing. We are committed to finding solutions for governments changing their immunisation programmes and to fulfilling recent new orders," said Glaxo's vaccines head Jean Stephenne.
German newspaper Bild had predicted the order reduction on Monday and said it would save Germany's states about 133 million euros ($193 million), based on a price of 8.33 euros per dose.
Germany had said last week it wanted to cancel half the vaccines it ordered from Glaxo.
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