Melbourne, Tuesday 2 December 2025 – Australia’s onshore vaccine manufacturing capabilities took a leap forward today as The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health, Disability and Ageing, opened CSL Seqirus’ state-of-the-art cell-based influenza vaccine and antivenom manufacturing facility in Melbourne.

The Australian-owned and operated facility uses innovative technology to manufacture seasonal and pandemic flu vaccines for Australia and the world. It is the only cell-based influenza vaccine manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere and makes Australia one of only three countries globally with the end-to-end capability to make advanced cell-based influenza vaccines.

It is also the only manufacturing site in the world capable of producing Australia’s eleven antivenoms for venomous creatures and the human Q-Fever vaccine. The new facility will replace the existing CSL Seqirus egg-based vaccine manufacturing facility in Parkville, Melbourne, marking the end of an era spanning 80 years in manufacturing innovation. 

The facility has the capacity to manufacture enough cell-based seasonal flu vaccines to supply Australia and meet demand from other regions including Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas, supporting a supply chain worth $300M annually to the Australian economy. 

CSL invested over $1bn to build the digitally-enabled and environmentally sustainable facility. The Victorian Government also contributed to the project, securing the facility for Victoria and reinforcing the state’s already globally significant medical research and biotechnology community.

The facility supports a long-term partnership with the Australian Government to protect Australia’s health by providing sovereign manufacturing capability and supply of pandemic influenza vaccines, antivenoms and Q fever vaccine. CSL Seqirus and the Australian Government have partnered to deliver onshore manufactured vaccines for every pandemic since 1919 and nearly 100 years of lifesaving antivenoms.

Cell-based manufacturing provides a proven technology platform to address many of the challenges associated with seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines including scalability, reliance on large volumes of critical materials and ability to rapidly produce vaccines using state-of-the-art technology.^1-4  

In the event of an influenza pandemic, the facility and associated network have the capability to rapidly produce over 150 million vaccines in the first wave of manufacturing to help protect Australia and other nations. 

The site employs hundreds of highly skilled experts in manufacturing, engineering, quality control, regulatory affairs, product release and supply chain, who will work year-round to ensure the facility is in a constant state of pandemic readiness and that essential vaccines and antivenoms reach the patients that need them. 

About Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza, Venomous Bites and Stings
Influenza has a significant impact on Australians and the health system, potentially causing up to 18,000 hospitalisations, 300,000 doctor visits, 1.5 million missed workdays and over 2,800 deaths every year.^5-7 Globally, the WHO estimates that flu infects 1 billion people annually, causing 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness and 290,000 to 650,000 respiratory deaths.⁸

Global experts agree the next flu pandemic is a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’.⁹ Currently the 2.3.4.4b strain of H5 avian influenza is causing global concern after being detected in over 500 bird and 80 mammal species across all continents, except the Australian mainland.^10,11 Avian flu was recently detected in elephant seals on Heard Islands, a sub-antarctic Australian external territory.¹²

Avian influenza could cause a pandemic if it adapted to be able to spread rapidly from person to person. Influenza pandemics can have a significant impact as people have little to no immunity against the virus that causes the outbreak.¹³ The risk to people of avian influenza in Australia remains low according to the Australian Centre for Disease Control.¹⁴

Over 1,600 Australians are hospitalized every year after being bitten or stung by a venomous snake, spider or marine creature.¹⁵

Quote attributable to Minister for Health, Disability, and Ageing, Mark Butler:
“Thanks to this world-class facility, the future of flu vaccine and antivenom manufacturing is Australian made. World-leading flu vaccines that are in high-demand will be manufactured on our shores, to protect Australians and the globe.“

“Through our partnerships with companies like CSL, the Albanese Government is ensuring the health of Australian’s is protected – whether that’s seasonal flu, a bite or sting from a venomous creature or pandemic threats like avian influenza.

Quote attributable to Victorian Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, Danny Pearson:
“Victoria leads the nation in vaccine innovation and medical research, with the largest sector in Australia supporting more than 30,000 jobs. This major investment cements Victoria as a global leader in cell-based influenza vaccines and strengthens our state’s research, commercialisation and advanced manufacturing capabilities.”

Quote attributable to CSL Chief Executive Officer, Paul McKenzie: 
“We have always been a uniquely Australian company and so opening this onshore facility today is a proud day for us.

“This facility is an investment in the health and economy of Australia and the world. It will expand global capacity and access to our next-generation flu vaccines that will help reduce the significant burden of influenza around the world.”

Quote attributable to CSL Seqirus Managing Director, Dave Ross:
“CSL Seqirus has been at the forefront of innovation since 1919 and our partnership with the Australian and Victorian Governments has been central to that.

“From developing Spanish Flu pandemic vaccines, researching and developing Australian antivenoms, rapidly delivering a swine flu vaccine in 2009 and transforming a 70-year-old manufacturing process to reduce the burden of seasonal influenza.”

“This facility will build a platform for our next wave of innovation in vaccines and unique health challenges, setting a new standard of care.” 

Site facts and figures

• The site near Melbourne Airport has a gross floor area of 28,400m², larger than the MCG playing surface. The site features three key buildings, which are used for:
  • Seasonal and pandemic cell-based influenza vaccine manufacturing
  • Antivenoms and Q-Fever vaccine manufacturing, and
  • Quality assurance laboratories and administration
• The facility has been electrified and incorporates on-site solar energy generation, heat and water recovery to preserve a healthier environment.
• It features a digitally connected manufacturing environment, deploying advanced analytics that will drive innovation and optimise our manufacturing operations.
• This includes a fully automated and paperless manufacturing execution system that will support our highly skilled workforce to optimise production, conduct predictive maintenance, improve quality control and reduce downtime. 
• Over 320 million doses of cell-based flu vaccines have been distributed worldwide from the Melbourne site’s sister facility in the USA.  These vaccines have been approved in Australia since 2021 and have part of the National Immunisation Program since 2024.
• Australian antivenoms are also used in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Mauritius, Malaysia and Indonesia as we share some similar venomous species. CSL Seqirus donates 600 vials of antivenoms annually to PNG in a partnership with the Australian Government and St John Ambulance PNG.

About CSL Seqirus
CSL Seqirus is part of CSL Limited (ASX: CSL). As one of the largest influenza vaccine providers in the world, CSL Seqirus is a major contributor to the prevention of influenza globally and a transcontinental partner in pandemic preparedness. With state-of-the-art production facilities in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, and leading R&D capabilities, CSL Seqirus utilizes egg, cell and adjuvant technologies to offer a broad portfolio of differentiated influenza vaccines in more than 20 countries around the world.

About CSL
CSL (ASX: CSL; USOTC: CSLLY) is a leading global biotechnology company with a dynamic portfolio of lifesaving medicines, including those that treat haemophilia and immune deficiencies, as well as vaccines to prevent influenza. Since our start in 1916, we have been driven by our promise to save lives using the latest technologies. Today, CSL – including our three businesses, CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor – provides lifesaving products to patients in more than 100 countries and employs 30,000 people. Our unique combination of commercial strength, R&D focus and operational excellence enables us to identify, develop and deliver innovations so our patients can live life to the fullest.

References

1. Rajaram S, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(15):5423.
2. Rajaram S, et al. Ther Adv Vaccines Immunother. 2020;8:2515135520908121.
3. Wu NC, et al. Cell Host Microbe. 2019;25(6):836-844.
4. Stein A, et al. Infectious Diseases and Therapy; October 2025 doi.org/10.1007/s40121-025-01230-2.
5. Muscatello, D et al. Vaccine vol. 39,52 (2021): 7578-7583.
6. Newall et al. Vaccine. 2008 Apr 16; 26(17): 2135–2141.
7. Mills J & Yapp T. 1996. CSIRO Australia.
8. WHO. Influenza Burden. who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/the-burden-of-influenza. Accessed December 2025.
9. WHO. The next flu pandemic: a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’. emro.who.int/pandemic-epidemic-diseases/news/the-next-flu-pandemic-a-matter-of-when-not-if.html. Accessed December 2025.
10. Wildlife Health Australia, Technical Update: Global High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in Wildlife. wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/HPAI_Technical_Update.pdf. Accessed December 2025.
11. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Avian influenza (bird flu). agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/animal/avian-influenza. Accessed December 2025.
12. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Joint media release: Confirmation of H5 bird flu on sub-Antarctic Heard Island https://minister.agriculture.gov.au/collins/media-release/joint-media-release-confirmed-H5-bird-flu-on-heard-island-sub-antarctic Accessed December 2025.
13. CDC. Types of Influenza Viruses. cdc.gov/flu/about/viruses-types.html. Accessed December 2025.
14. Australian CDC. 2025. Bird Flu. cdc.gov.au/topics/bird-flu. Accessed December 2025.
15. AIHW, Venomous Bites and Stings. aihw.gov.au/reports/injury/venomous-bites-and-stings-2017-18/contents/summary. Accessed December 2025.

Intended Audience
This press release is issued from CSL Seqirus in Melbourne, Australia and is intended to provide information about our global business. Please be aware that information relating to the approval status and labels of approved Seqirus products may vary from country to country. Please consult your local regulatory authority on the approval status of Seqirus products.