CSL Secures $121 Million Contract to Boost US Bird Flu Vaccine Stockpile to 40 Million Doses, According to Reuters

Australia’s CSL announced on Wednesday that it has secured a contract worth $121.4 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to bolster the U.S. government’s stockpile of bird flu vaccines to a total of 40 million doses.

As part of this multi-year agreement, CSL will supply its MF59 adjuvant, a crucial component in the production of vaccines targeting the H5 avian influenza virus. CSL stated that this initiative will enhance the U.S. government’s efforts to prepare for pandemics.

The funding is part of a collaboration with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which is committed to helping companies develop medical resources to counter public health threats.

This contract marks the fifth award CSL has received from BARDA in relation to the bird flu situation. In prior agreements, CSL has successfully delivered approximately 4.8 million doses of its bird flu vaccine.

The H5 bird flu is prevalent among wild birds globally and is currently causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows. There have also been several recent human infections reported among U.S. dairy and poultry workers.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the 14th human case of H5 in the United States for 2024, marking the first case without any known occupational exposure to infected animals.

Although the current public health risk is assessed as low, the CDC is closely monitoring the situation and collaborating with state health departments to track individuals who have had exposure to animals.