Vaccine Maker Awarded Federal Funding to Expand Pandemic Influenza Preparedness

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has entered a $226 million agreement with Sanofi Pasteur to increase the company's domestic pandemic influenza vaccine production capabilities.

Supported by federal funds from the Biomedical Advance Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the contract will support the clinical development, and manufacturing of an adjuvanted recombinant pandemic vaccine with the goal of enhancing US and global pandemic preparedness.

The investigational pandemic vaccine will use the same recombinant technology as Sanofi’s influenza vaccine (Flublok Quadrivalent). The contract will expand the site’s role as a center of excellence for pandemic preparedness by adding both recombinant and adjuvant manufacturing alongside current egg-based manufacturing.

Sanofi’s influenza vaccine is indicated for adults age 18 years and older, and has demonstrated prevention of 30-43% more cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza in people age 50 years and older compared to a standard-dose quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine. This vaccine is the only recombinant protein-based influenza vaccine approved by the FDA, as it uniquely provides an exact genetic match of hemagglutinin (HA)—the protein that is crucial to stimulating immunity to influenza—from each recommended vaccine virus.

REFERENCE

Sanofi awarded $266 million by US government to expand pandemic influenza preparedness [news release]. Swiftwater, PA; December 9, 2019; Sanofi. http://www.news.sanofi.us/2019-12-09-Sanofi-awarded-226-million-by-US-government-to-expand-pandemic-influenza-preparedness. Accessed December 9, 2019.