LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- Sales of the flu drug Relenza shot up 1,900 percent from a year ago as governments around the world stockpiled in preparation for a swine flu pandemic , drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline said Wednesday . Stocks of antiviral treatments are pictured at a warehouse in an undisclosed location in the UK . Relenza sales were £60 million ( $ 98.4 million ) in the second quarter of this year , compared to £3 million ( $ 4.9 million ) in the same quarter last year , the company said in announcing its Q2 results . Glaxo also said that by the end of the year , it expects to have an annual production capacity for Relenza of 190 million treatment courses , more than a threefold increase to its previously announced maximum capacity . The company will achieve it by increasing production of the Relenza Diskhaler inhaler and building new capacity to manufacture Relenza Rotacaps , Glaxo said . Watch as swine flu boosts drug profits » . Relenza is an antiviral medication similar to Tamiflu that treats symptoms of the flu and helps to prevent getting it . GlaxoSmithKline started production last month of a vaccine for swine flu , also known as the H1N1 virus , the company said . It is now on track to meet the orders placed by many governments and the World Health Organization for the vaccine , Glaxo said . `` To date we have contracts in place to supply 195 million doses of the vaccine , '' Chief Executive Andrew Witty said . `` We also have a variety of agreements in place with the U.S. government to supply pandemic products worth $ 250 million . Discussions with over 50 governments are ongoing , with many at advanced stages , and I therefore expect further significant orders . Shipments are expected in the second half of 2009 and early 2010 . '' In an interview with CNN 's Richard Quest , Witty said the new swine flu vaccine will likely be a boost to sales into 2010 . `` As we go forward , I think we 'll see ( swine flu ) become more material for the company , particularly as we move into ( the fourth quarter ) of this year and vaccine shipments begin , '' he said . However , he thinks any sales boost from the planned swine flu vaccine will last only as long as the threat . `` What we 're doing here is responding to government needs , where they 've said , ` Look , we do n't know how serious this is going to be but we want to be prepared ' , '' he said . The real challenge for pharmaceutical companies is coming up with new blockbuster drugs for chronic disease , not acute outbreaks like swine flu . `` I think what you see in our industry is relatively resistant to the economic downdrafts ... but we do need to constantly renew our portfolio -- that 's the challenge we face . '' Glaxo will donate supplies of both the swine flu vaccine and Relenza to the WHO for use in developing countries , he said . Australian company CSL announced this week it planned to start the first human trials of a swine flu vaccine in Australia . Watch vaccine being tested » . Participants will receive two shots three weeks apart and will undergo blood tests to determine if they are generating an appropriate immune response to the virus , the company said . Swine flu has spread so rapidly and extensively around the globe that the WHO said Monday it was changing tactics against the virus , including stopping a tally of cases and focusing on unusual patterns . WHO declared the virus a global pandemic on June 11 . More than 120 countries have reported cases of human infection , totaling more than 98,000 documented cases worldwide . More than 700 people have died of the virus , the organization said Tuesday . With 29 deaths and a huge rise in the number of cases , Britain has the worst swine flu figures in Europe . Cases of swine flu in Britain have , however , proven to be generally mild in most people , Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday . They have been severe only among a small minority , mostly where patients have had underlying health problems , he said . `` Robust plans are in place '' to deal with the pandemic , Brown said . By the end of the week , a new National Pandemic Flu Service will be operating in England to quickly diagnose people who have swine flu and allow them to get antiviral treatment directly from local providers , Brown said . Swine flu has spread so rapidly and extensively around the globe that the WHO is changing tactics against the H1N1 virus , including stopping a tally of cases and focusing on unusual patterns . `` At this point , further spread of the pandemic , within affected countries and to new countries , is considered inevitable , '' the WHO said . The counting of all cases is no longer essential because it is exhausting countries ' resources , the organization said . While most patients have reported mild symptoms , a rise in severe symptoms or respiratory ailments that require hospitalization should be cause for concern , it said . Governments should also pay attention to unusual patterns linked to fatal cases , the WHO said . Any changes in prevailing patterns should be flagged , including a rise in school and job absenteeism , and an increase in visits to the emergency room . An overwhelmed health system may mean there is a rise in severe cases , the organization said .
NEW : CEO : Boost from swine flu vaccine will likely increase profits later this year . Sales of flu drug Relenza soar as governments stockpile in case of pandemic . Around the world there have been 98,000 cases of swine flu in 120 countries . With 29 deaths , Britain has the worst swine flu figures in Europe .