CSL Seqirus Announces New Pandemic Preparedness Award from the UK Government

CSL Seqirus, a business of CSL (ASX: CSL), has been selected by the UK Government to manufacture and deliver H5 influenza vaccines to support the UK’s outbreak and pandemic preparedness response.  

“As a global leader in outbreak and pandemic preparedness, CSL Seqirus is proud to partner with over 30 governments across the world to protect populations against emerging diseases like avian influenza,” said Marc Lacey, CSL Seqirus, Global Head of Pandemic Preparedness and Response. “This agreement with the UK government demonstrates the ongoing importance of partnership in developing strong preparedness plans and ensuring rapid response capabilities against these health threats.” 

Under the terms of the agreement, CSL Seqirus will deliver approximately 5 million doses of H5 influenza vaccine that is well-matched to the currently circulating strain of avian influenza. 

The vaccines will be manufactured in CSL Seqirus’ facility in Liverpool with delivery scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. The facility utilises a highly scalable method of production and is the largest vaccine manufacturing site in the UK.

“This latest award marks over 10 years of active and reliable partnership with the UK government,” said Lorna Meldrum, VP Commercial Operations, International & Pandemic Response at CSL Seqirus. “Across seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines, we’re privileged to help protect public health from our manufacturing site in Liverpool.”

“The CSL Seqirus manufacturing facility in Liverpool plays a pivotal role in both pandemic preparedness and protection against seasonal influenza,” said Nige Hilton, VP of Manufacturing and Site Head, CSL Seqirus. “By manufacturing these vaccines from start to finish in Liverpool, we’re able to provide onshore security in the UK should an influenza pandemic occur.” 

Note to editors
The vaccine is based on the A/H5N8/Astrakhan/3212/2020 clade 2.3.4.4b strain.

About Pandemic Influenza  
Influenza is a contagious airborne respiratory disease.^1,2  The risk of influenza-associated morbidity and mortality is greater with pandemic influenza than with seasonal influenza because there is likely to be little or no pre-existing immunity to the novel virus in the human population.³ The timing and severity of pandemic influenza is unpredictable. Four influenza pandemics have occurred over the past century, with the 1918 pandemic being the most severe in recent history, with an estimated mortality of up to 50 million people worldwide.⁴  

About Avian Influenza  
Avian influenza spreads predominantly among birds.⁵  Avian influenza viruses do not normally infect humans; however, in rare cases humans have been infected with avian influenza viruses.⁶ Illness in humans from avian influenza has varied in levels of severity, from no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease and death.⁶ The spread of avian influenza from one human to another is very rare and typically has only spread to a few people.⁶

The recent rise in avian influenza among birds has been driven by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus.⁷ CSL Seqirus recommends referring to the WHO statement, and UKHSA, CDC, ECDC or national guidance to gauge the levels of concern regarding the high levels of HPAI activity.^8,9,10,11

About CSL Seqirus  
CSL Seqirus is part of CSL (ASX: CSL). As a global leader in the protection of public health and one of the largest influenza vaccine providers in the world, CSL Seqirus is committed to preventing infectious diseases, like influenza and COVID-19, and is a transcontinental partner in pandemic preparedness. With state-of-the-art production facilities in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, and leading R&D capabilities, CSL Seqirus offers a broad portfolio of innovative, differentiated vaccines in more than 20 countries around the world.  

For more information about CSL Seqirus, visit CSL.com.  

About CSL  
CSL (ASX:CSL) (USOTC:CSLLY) is a global biotechnology company with a portfolio of medicines, including those that treat hemophilia and immune deficiencies, vaccines to prevent influenza, and therapies in iron deficiency and nephrology. Since our start in 1916, we have been driven by our promise to save lives using the latest technologies. Today, CSL – including our three businesses: CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor – provides products to patients in more than 100 countries and employs 32,000 people. Our combination of commercial strength, R&D focus and operational excellence enables us to identify, develop and deliver innovations so our patients can live life to the fullest. For more information about CSL, visit www.CSL.com.  

Intended Audience  
This press release is issued from CSL Seqirus in Summit, New Jersey, USA and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved CSL Seqirus products may vary from country to country. Please consult your local regulatory authority on the approval status of CSL Seqirus products.  

Forward-Looking Statements  
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future results, performance or achievements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.  
 
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GBR-NOPR-24-0098
Date of preparation: November

MEDIA CONTACT  
Em Dekonor  
+44 (0)7920500496  
Emmanuella.Dekonor@seqirus.com  

                                                      
¹ CDC. About Flu. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/index.html. [Accessed November 2024]
² CDC. Key Facts About Influenza (Flu). Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts_1.htm. [Accessed November 2024]
³ WHO. How pandemic influenza emerges. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/how-pandemic-influenza-emerges. [Accessed November 2024]
⁴ WHO. Pandemic Influenza Risk Management: A WHO guide to inform and harmonize national and international pandemic preparedness and response. Retrieved from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/259893/WHO-WHE-IHM-GIP-2017.1-eng.pdf;jsessionid=4421F16879D2F8B96481F8D0C745C7F3?sequence=1. [Accessed November 2024]
⁵ CDC. Avian Flu, Information on bird flu. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/index.htm. [Accessed November 2024]
⁶ CDC. What Causes Bird Flu Virus Infections in Humans. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/virus-transmission/avian-in-humans.html. [Accessed November 2024]
⁷ CDC. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Animals: Interim Recommendations. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/hpai-interim-recommendations.html. [Accessed November 2024]
⁸ CDC. H5 Bird Flu: Current Situation. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.html. [Accessed November 2024]
⁹ Gov.uk. Bird flu (avian influenza): latest situation in England. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-avian-influenza-latest-situation-in-england#:~:text=The%20UK%20Health%20Security%20Agency,eggs%2C%20are%20safe%20to%20eat [Accessed November 2024]
¹⁰ FAO, WHO, WOAH. Ongoing avian influenza outbreaks in animals pose risk to humans. Retrieved from: https://www.fao.org/animal-health/news-events/news/detail/ongoing-avian-influenza-outbreaks-in-animals-pose-risk-to-humans/en. [Accessed November 2024]
¹¹ European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Avian influenza overview March – June 2024. Retrieved from: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/avian-influenza-overview-march-june-2024 [Accessed November 2024]