5 Million Bird Flu Vaccines On-Order for the U.K.

With avian influenza continuing to circulate the globe, various countries have invested in protecting people from a potential pandemic.

The UK Government today announced that CSL Seqirus UK Limited will manufacture more than five million doses of human H5 influenza vaccine.

This vaccine purchase, confirmed on December 3, 2024, was part of long-established plans to boost the UK's access to vaccines for a wider range of pathogens with pandemic potential.

The UK. Health Security Agency announced on September 26, 2023, that it signed an advance purchase agreement with CSL Seqirus to produce over 100 million influenza pandemic vaccines at the Liverpool facility if or when they are needed.

In a media release, Dr. Meera Chand, Emerging Infection Lead at the UK Health Security Agency, said, "It is important for us to be prepared against a range of different influenza viruses that may pose human health risks. Early access to vaccines saves lives."

"Adding vaccines to the interventions already available will help us prepare for a wider range of threats."

The influenza A(H5N1) virus has been causing a prolonged global outbreak, primarily in birds but including various mammals. If this virus were to start spreading among humans, of which there is no evidence at this stage, the human H5 influenza vaccine would be used.

Like the UK, the U.S. government has previously signed various agreements for avian pandemic vaccines.

The U.S. FDA authorized CSL Seqirus Inc. Audenz™ (Influenza A(H5N1) Monovalent Vaccine, Adjuvanted) cell-based vaccine on January 31, 2020. On November 14, 2013, the FDA licensed the I.D. Biomedical Corporation Influenza A (H5N1) Virus Monovalent Vaccine, Adjuvanted (STN#: 125419), to prevent H5N1 influenza disease. 

These avian influenza vaccines are not commercially available.