Australia's CSL Limited begins production of AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate

Australia's CSL Limited has commenced the manufacturing of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine from November 9 onwards. The AZD1222 COVID-19 vaccine candidate is being manufactured at the company's advanced manufacturing facility in Broadmeadows, Victoria. The manufacturing process starts even as the candidate is currently at its final phase of trials and has not been approved by the regulators in Australia.

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Expected to release by mid-2021

CSL Limited has separate contracts with AstraZeneca and the Australian government to manufacture approximately 30 million doses of the AZD1222 vaccine candidate, which is expected to be released in the country by mid-2021, depending on the outcome of trials and approval. CSL will release eight large scale batches of the vaccine drug substance. After the safety and efficacy of the vaccine are proven, it is anticipated that per person will receive two doses each. 

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"This is an important milestone and marks the end of many months of around the clock preparation by our skilled personnel globally within CSL Behring, Seqirus, and research and development. Both campaigns are still technically challenging but at this time we are tracking well and expect to produce the AZD1222 and the UQ-CSL V451 vaccine for Australia by mid-2021," CSL’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Andrew Nash said in a statement.

Read: Russian, Belarusian PM Discuss Progress And Plans For Sputnik V COVID Vaccine ProductionThe company has said that it will not release the vaccine until it is proven safe for use and is approved by the Australian government regulatory authority; the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). CSL says that the government has provided support to the company, which has enabled them to acquire specialised equipment and modify the manufacturing facilities required to produce the vaccine. The company is also manufacturing another vaccine candidate named UQ-CSL V451, which has been developed by the University of Queensland. 

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