Vaccine producer Powderject Pharmaceuticals is planning to increase sales of its flu vaccine by more than 30 per cent this year.

The world's leading independent vaccine company, based at the Oxford Science Park, last year achieved £67m sales for its Fluvirin product.

Fluvirin is the world's second best-selling flu vaccine and is now established as an important brand in the USA, where distribution got under way on August 1, well ahead of the start of this year's immunisation programme.

On Saturday, the vaccine will be available from 256 Asda stores, including Wheatley, as part of a pilot project.

Shoppers will be able to pay £11.97 for a jab which will be administered by a qualified nurse.

By 2004, the company plans to boost production to 45 million doses, double its achievement of 2001.

Chairman and chief executive Paul Drayson said: "As a leading flu vaccine manufacturer we are extremely pleased to help protect society against this highly infectious and debilitating disease."

Powderject is starting a clinical study into means of delivering the vaccine in powder form using the company's needle-free injection system. It is also planning to start trials of a new generation DNA flu vaccine in the coming months.

In a separate development, the Department of Health has now taken delivery of 2.5m tuberculosis vaccination doses worth £8m from Danish company Statens Serum Institut following a recall of Powderject products, after it was discovered that their potency fell below par.

Powderject also became involved in controversy earlier this year when it agreed to supply the Government with £32m worth of smallpox vaccines, after Dr Drayson was revealed as a donor to the Labour party.