HHS: New plant expected to speed production of flu vaccine in emergency

The Department of Health and Human Services on Dec. 12 announced the launch of the first U.S. facility to use a faster and more flexible technology to make flu vaccine. A public-private partnership of HHS and Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Inc., the plant in Holly Springs, N.C., can create vaccine using cultured animal cells instead of the conventional process using fertilized eggs.

In a flu pandemic, the new facility may be able to produce 25% of the vaccine needed in the U.S., HHS said. "The pandemic readiness of this facility is a major milestone in national preparedness for pandemic influenza and other diseases," said Robin Robinson, director of HHS' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.