Cinical trial material for cell culture-based vaccine will be produced at the Human Genome Sciences headquarters.
MedImmune will use a portion of the Human Genome Sciences headquarters facility located in Rockville, MD, to develop and manufacture clinical trial material for cell culture-based seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccine.
“While we are currently expanding our biologics manufacturing facility in Frederick, MD, for potential use in producing pandemic vaccine as well as other products in our pipeline, the immediate availability of the existing Human Genome Sciences facility allows us to expedite certain development steps toward expanding our capacity to produce cell culture-based influenza vaccines,” explains Alan Taggart, vp of government project management.
“This should be particularly useful as we prepare to initiate our clinical trials of cell culture influenza vaccine under our HHS contract commitment.” The award is for five years, totalling approximately $170 million.
MedImmune currently develops, manufactures, and markets FluMist®, a live, attenuated, needle-free seasonal influenza vaccine. The company is also working with the NIAID to apply its technology to develop pandemic influenza vaccines.
