Seqirus, a developer and manufacturer of influenza vaccines, plans to invest £40 million ($52 million) in a new and expanded fill/finish facility at its site in Liverpool, UK for flu-vaccine manufacturing.

The Liverpool site manufactures bulk material for a range of influenza vaccines, including an adjuvanted influenza vaccine designed for people aged 65 years and above. Seqirus’ adjuvanted influenza is licensed in global markets and was recently approved in the UK for supply in the 2018/19 influenza season. The bulk material is currently shipped to Italy, where it is filled into vials and syringes by a contract manufacturer.

The new fill-and-finish facility will create 88 new jobs at the Liverpool site, adding to the 600 currently employed there.

Seqirus is part of CSL Limited, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. Seqirus was formed in 2015 following CSL’s $275-million acquisition of the Novartis influenza vaccines business and its subsequent integration with bioCSL, a CSL subsidiary. The acquisition included Novartis’ influenza vaccine- manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

The £40 million ($52 million) project takes the company’s investment in the Liverpool site to over £60 million ($78 million) since CSL acquired Novartis’ influenza vaccine business.

The new fill/finish facility at the Seqirus Liverpool site will be fully operational in 2019.

Source: Seqirus