"We committed to accelerate our development of a possible vaccine for SARS," Garnier told reporters in a conference call, after announcing the group's first-quarter results.

"I want to warn you that it takes time to develop a vaccine, even with the best intention and all the resources at our disposal. This is not a matter of weeks or months, it is a matter of years.

"Clearly it is better to start now because this infection might come back, even if it is contained in the short term."

GSK is working on the project at its vaccine development centre in Belgium and is liaising closely with France's Institut Pasteur and rival firms.

"Normally we compete with each other on this. This time we have at least committed to exchange some of the science," Garnier said.

Pneumonia-like SARS has killed at least 372 persons around the world and infected nearly 6,000 in 29 countries.

Scientists say developing a vaccine against the disease is the best long-term hope but admit it could take years to analyse the SARS virus and produce a safe and effective product. Reuters
 

BEIJING: Going to bank to collect your money? Be alert as SARS virus can be spread through bank notes also. As a precautionary measure, Chinese bank workers had disinfected a box of "renminbi" banknotes in a bank vault in Beijing, reports The Straits Times.

According to the report, Chinese banks have started putting incoming banknotes in 24-hour quarantine before returning them to circulation in an effort to contain the SARS.