Australia-based CSL Seqirus and Vaccine Industrial Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia to enhance the biotechnology sector by accessing advanced cell-based seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines and localizing manufacturing in Saudi Arabia.
Under a finalised agreement, CSL Seqirus, a leading global influenza vaccine manufacturer, would provide its innovative cell-based seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines and work with Vaccine Industrial Company (VIC), a prominent Saudi vaccine company, to localize manufacturing at VIC’s new Sudair City facility.
The finalised agreement would also establish pre-pandemic vaccine stockpiles for high-risk populations and an Advance Purchase Agreement to secure pandemic vaccines for the broader population, helping elevate Saudi Arabia’s preparedness in case of an influenza pandemic.
Onshore manufacturing would enable scalable volumes, reduce reliance on global supply chains and provide flexibility as Saudi Arabia prioritises public health during mass gatherings such as Hajj, and hosts major events including World EXPO, FIFA World Cup 2034 and Olympic Esports Games.
Cell-based influenza vaccines are designed to be an exact match to WHO-selected influenza strains and help improve vaccine effectiveness by eliminating changes that can occur in the traditional influenza vaccine manufacturing process.
Cell-based influenza vaccine manufacturing is well suited to enabling pandemic preparedness as it reduces reliance on large volumes of critical materials and is a modern, efficient and highly scalable alternative to traditional manufacturing methods.
The three parties will work towards closing the agreement, with an ambition to establish pandemic preparedness in 2026 and supply cell-based flu vaccines for the 2026/27 Flu Season.
