Collaborators aim to produce vaccines in cell culture in half the time of traditional egg-based facilities.
GE Healthcare and Novavax agreed to develop and market a pandemic influenza vaccine manufacturing solution for selected international countries. The collaboration leverages GE Healthcare’s bioprocess solutions and design expertise and Novavax’ virus-like particle (VLP) and manufacturing platform, notes the firms.
Novavax’ VLP-based H5N1 pandemic flu vaccine is currently in Phase I/IIa trials. The goal is that any required recombinant vaccine could be produced in cell culture within 12 weeks of identification of a pandemic strain without using eggs or live influenza virus. This is half the time compared with currently available processes, according to the companies.
“This collaboration is a great first example of GE Healthcare realizing its strategy of enabling affordable and safe vaccine production for countries that need to better prepare for emerging infectious diseases,” states Peter Ehrenheim, president and CEO, GE Healthcare Life Sciences.
