AstraZeneca News – 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. 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.
AstraZeneca News – CSL warns AstraZeneca booster shots not available until end of year
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