Austrian researchers are hoping to combat influenza vaccine shortages and the incidence of allergic reactions by developing a vaccine that does not use chicken eggs. The experimental vaccine, which studies show to be as effective as the conventional product, is made from cells derived from African green monkey kidneys. Researcher Dr. Otfried Kistner believes that the several-step purification process for the vaccine eliminates most of the risk of introducing foreign DNA into a human. Kistner hopes to conduct U.S. clinical trials by 2002 and launch the product by 2005.