CSL warns AstraZeneca booster shots not available until end of year

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine maker CSL says it is open to making booster shots for AstraZeneca for new variants of coronavirus but warns new formulas may not be available until the end of the year.

Representatives from the $122 billion biotechnology firm told senators at a COVID-19 committee hearing on Tuesday the company was close to hitting its target of making 1 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine per week. The first locally-made doses of the product are due for release at the end of March.

Senator Katy Gallagher listens as Dr Beverley Menner, Executive Director, COVID Vaccine Projects Lead and  Christopher Larkins, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Operations.
Senator Katy Gallagher listens as Dr Beverley Menner, Executive Director, COVID Vaccine Projects Lead and Christopher Larkins, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Operations. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Senior vice president of manufacturing operations at CSL’s vaccine arm Seqirus, Christopher Larkins, told the committee the company could make any AstraZeneca booster products to target variants of the virus, such as that from South Africa, but not until the end of the year.

“By the time we have brought that into our facility, did the necessary qualification work and then the regulatory side of it with the TGA to get it approved… I would estimate that we’re probably close to the end of the year [for booster doses to be ready],” Mr Larkins said.

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Greens senator Rachael Siewert asked whether it would be possible to start producing booster doses that covered variants before the 51 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were complete.

Mr Larkins said CSL would have to complete a range of production tests before manufacturing any new types of vaccines including boosters and this could have an impact on current production runs.

“I think it would have a fairly serious impact on delivering the 50 million doses that we’ve committed to, but again, nothing is impossible,” he said.

CSL’ s COVID vaccine projects head Beverley Menner told the committee it looked likely a booster for variants may be ready around September or October, and by then CSL would have made the majority of the bulk product needed for the initial run of vaccines.

Dr Menner said that while it was not as simple as “flicking a switch from one product to another”, CSL was talking daily with AstraZeneca and would be ready to work on variant products .

“We’re in a very good position, with both our understanding of the process and our relationship with AstraZeneca.”

CSL shares closed down 0.2 per cent to $269.74.

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Source: Thanks smh.com