https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/influenz...bal-season-flu-vaccine-production-stable-2019
Analysis: Global season flu vaccine production stable since 2019
Stephanie Soucheray, MA
36 minutes ago.
Influenza Vaccines
The World Health Organization (WHO) monitors the global supply of seasonal influenza vaccines, and a new analysis shows the 2023 supply matches numbers from 2019, suggesting flu vaccine production was sustained through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study was published this week in Vaccine, and the authors said monitoring seasonal flu vaccine capacity is important for estimating potential pandemic flu vaccine capacities in different global regions. Data come from the 2023 WHO Influenza Vaccine Production Capacity Survey, which includes 32 national and multinational vaccine manufacturers with a total of 41 flu vaccine bulk manufacturing facilities in 19 countries.
Seasonal vaccine production capacity is directly linked to pandemic vaccine production capacity.
"Seasonal vaccine production capacity is directly linked to pandemic vaccine production capacity where pandemic influenza vaccines would largely be produced by existing seasonal influenza vaccine manufacturers, using similar technology and facilities," the authors wrote.
Over 80% of flu vaccines use chicken eggs
Current seasonal flu vaccines include inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs), live-attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs), and recombinant vaccines. Over 80% of seasonal vaccines use embryonated chicken eggs for growing flu viruses.
Overall, the authors said there is flu vaccine production capacity in almost all global regions, with the exception of Africa. The Western Pacific has the most flu vaccine production facilities, followed by Europe.
High-income countries have 68.9% of seasonal influenza capacity, and 79.8% of pandemic capacity, with upper-middle income countries having 29.6% of seasonal capacity and 19.7% of pandemic capacity.
"There are no influenza vaccine manufacturing facilities in low income countries, and influenza vaccine production from lower-middle income countries represents only 1.55% and 0.53% of the global total for seasonal and pandemic production, respectively," the authors wrote.
Low- and middle-income countries accounted for 82% of the world's population in 2023, while high-income countries represented 18%.
Cell-based, mRNA vaccines for next flu pandemic
The analysis estimates that annual global seasonal flu vaccine production capacity has remained relatively stable since 2019, at 1.53 billion doses. That means an estimated 4.13 billion (moderate case) to 8.26 billion (best case) doses of pandemic vaccine could be produced within 12 months using existing production pathways.
In the case of a novel flu pandemic, the authors said the first doses of a pandemic vaccine could be available within 4 to 6 months from start of production, based on vaccine production timelines from the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.
"The majority of pandemic vaccines would be egg-based (84%), with IIV comprising over 85% of this egg-based supply," the authors said.
The development and approval of novel influenza vaccines, such as mRNA vaccines, holds promise for increasing production capacity and improving pandemic preparedness.
Using cell-based technologies and mRNA platforms in future flu pandemics is likely, the authors said, and could offset some of the market vulnerabilities seen with egg-based vaccines.
"The development and approval of novel influenza vaccines, such as mRNA vaccines, holds promise for increasing production capacity and improving pandemic preparedness," the authors concluded. "These activities must be prioritized and concerted action between global policy makers, manufacturers, funders and country decision makers needs to be fostered now to secure a future of greater preparedness and equal protection for all against the next influenza pandemic."
Analysis: Global season flu vaccine production stable since 2019
Stephanie Soucheray, MA
36 minutes ago.
Influenza Vaccines
The World Health Organization (WHO) monitors the global supply of seasonal influenza vaccines, and a new analysis shows the 2023 supply matches numbers from 2019, suggesting flu vaccine production was sustained through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study was published this week in Vaccine, and the authors said monitoring seasonal flu vaccine capacity is important for estimating potential pandemic flu vaccine capacities in different global regions. Data come from the 2023 WHO Influenza Vaccine Production Capacity Survey, which includes 32 national and multinational vaccine manufacturers with a total of 41 flu vaccine bulk manufacturing facilities in 19 countries.
Seasonal vaccine production capacity is directly linked to pandemic vaccine production capacity.
"Seasonal vaccine production capacity is directly linked to pandemic vaccine production capacity where pandemic influenza vaccines would largely be produced by existing seasonal influenza vaccine manufacturers, using similar technology and facilities," the authors wrote.
Over 80% of flu vaccines use chicken eggs
Current seasonal flu vaccines include inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs), live-attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs), and recombinant vaccines. Over 80% of seasonal vaccines use embryonated chicken eggs for growing flu viruses.
Overall, the authors said there is flu vaccine production capacity in almost all global regions, with the exception of Africa. The Western Pacific has the most flu vaccine production facilities, followed by Europe.
High-income countries have 68.9% of seasonal influenza capacity, and 79.8% of pandemic capacity, with upper-middle income countries having 29.6% of seasonal capacity and 19.7% of pandemic capacity.
"There are no influenza vaccine manufacturing facilities in low income countries, and influenza vaccine production from lower-middle income countries represents only 1.55% and 0.53% of the global total for seasonal and pandemic production, respectively," the authors wrote.
Low- and middle-income countries accounted for 82% of the world's population in 2023, while high-income countries represented 18%.
Cell-based, mRNA vaccines for next flu pandemic
The analysis estimates that annual global seasonal flu vaccine production capacity has remained relatively stable since 2019, at 1.53 billion doses. That means an estimated 4.13 billion (moderate case) to 8.26 billion (best case) doses of pandemic vaccine could be produced within 12 months using existing production pathways.
In the case of a novel flu pandemic, the authors said the first doses of a pandemic vaccine could be available within 4 to 6 months from start of production, based on vaccine production timelines from the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.
"The majority of pandemic vaccines would be egg-based (84%), with IIV comprising over 85% of this egg-based supply," the authors said.
The development and approval of novel influenza vaccines, such as mRNA vaccines, holds promise for increasing production capacity and improving pandemic preparedness.
Using cell-based technologies and mRNA platforms in future flu pandemics is likely, the authors said, and could offset some of the market vulnerabilities seen with egg-based vaccines.
"The development and approval of novel influenza vaccines, such as mRNA vaccines, holds promise for increasing production capacity and improving pandemic preparedness," the authors concluded. "These activities must be prioritized and concerted action between global policy makers, manufacturers, funders and country decision makers needs to be fostered now to secure a future of greater preparedness and equal protection for all against the next influenza pandemic."