CSL Biotherapies has continued to expand global sales of our influenza vaccines this year and is now further increasing manufacturing capacity to take advantage of growing international demand.
The new $80 million capital investment in our Melbourne influenza vaccine plant announced in February this year will double production capacity to 40 million doses per season and accommodate plans to introduce CSL vaccine into the US market.
After CSL completes the required US human clinical study, we will submit a Biologics License Application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Subject to FDA approval, we will supply vaccine for the 2007-2008 winter and have capacity to supply up to 20 million doses to the US market in the following season as our expanded manufacturing facilities come on line.
In 2004, we completed a $33 million expansion to meet the increasing vaccine demands of our customers in both Northern and Southern Hemisphere markets. In 2005, we made up for an unexpected shortfall of influenza vaccine imports to Australia. CSL Biotherapies is well positioned to manufacture enough influenza vaccine to protect the Australian population in the event of a pandemic. Pandemics result from a new influenza variant that populations have not been exposed to previously, and can occur at any time.
During the year, we achieved encouraging results from initial clinical trials of our pandemic influenza vaccine based on the H5N1 avian virus. Further trials now targeting a broader age range will determine the optimum dosage and demonstrate safety.
CSL has manufactured influenza vaccine in Melbourne since 1968 and our branded influenza vaccines are marketed in 16 countries worldwide. We also provide bulk influenza vaccine to 24 countries.
Under a contract with the Australian Government, CSL also supplies 65% of the vaccine requirements for Australia’s national program against influenza targeting people over 65 and Torres Straight Islanders over 50.
Our influenza vaccine manufacturing plant in Melbourne is the only one of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and is Australia’s first line of defence against this serious infectious disease. The new expansion of facilities will help meet the increasing global demand for seasonal influenza vaccines.
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