CSL Seqirus Gets $155.4M For Pandemic Vaccine Production

By Barry Teater, NCBiotech Writer

CSL Seqirus, a global leader in vaccine production, has received two federal grants totaling $155.4 million to enhance its preparedness for a potential avian influenza pandemic. These grants, provided by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), will support the expansion of CSL Seqirus's vaccine manufacturing capabilities at its Holly Springs, North Carolina facility. The first grant, valued at $121.4 million, will help increase the company’s MF59 adjuvant inventory, essential for producing influenza vaccines. This will add up to 40 million doses to the National Pre-Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Stockpile. The second grant, valued at $34 million, will support the delivery of 3 million finished doses of the vaccine.

This collaboration underscores the importance of pandemic preparedness, especially in the face of ongoing avian influenza outbreaks that have affected poultry, dairy cows, and humans, particularly agricultural workers. While the current public health risk is low, CSL Seqirus’s expanded production efforts are aimed at bolstering the U.S. response to a potential pandemic. Their Holly Springs plant, spanning over 500,000 square feet, is a critical hub for these efforts as the facility is designed to scale vaccine production rapidly in times of crisis. These grants are part of the company’s ongoing commitment to global public health and pandemic resilience.