Novartis to build first U.S. cell-culture flu vaccine plant

Using $220 million awarded in May by HHS as part of the government's pandemic flu plan, Novartis announced plans yesterday to build the first U.S. manufacturing plant for cell-culture derived flu vaccines. The plant, to be built in Holly Springs, NC, has a total bill of $600 million, according to this Novartis press release. Here is a news report on the announcement from Reuters and a lengthier story from the U. of Minnesota's CIDRAP.

Once complete, the plant will be able to produce 50 million doses of seasonal flu vaccine annually and as many as 150 million doses of a possible pandemic flu vaccine. It marks another step away from reliance on an egg-based flu vaccine production method, with its many shortcomings. We'll still be using eggs for many years to come, however. Novartis estimates the plant won't be fully functional until 2012.