Sanofi, BARDA break ground on new flu vaccine facility at Pennsylvania site

Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) are expanding capacity to make flu shots in the U.S.

On Tuesday the French pharma giant said it celebrated groundbreaking of a new, formulation and filling facility at its Swiftwater site in Pennsylvania.

The facility will be a two-story building. The filler will be capable of filling syringe and vials using isolator barrier technology and single use technology for flexibility, according to the company.

Sanofi said the facility represents one of three major manufacturing investments made at the site, supported by federal funds, as part of a December 2019 contract by BARDA to boost domestic manufacturing capabilities for recombinant pandemic influenza vaccines.

"Past pandemics confirmed that public-private partnerships are key to providing a relevant and quick answer to pandemic situations," said Rakesh Kakkar, US head of Vaccine Manufacturing and Supply, Sanofi.

The Sanofi-BARDA contract supports development of an adjuvanted recombinant pandemic influenza vaccine which uses the same technology as Sanofi's recombinant quadrivalent influenza vaccine.

The company added that the contract also expands its Swiftwater site's capacity to be a center of excellence for pandemic preparedness by boosting vaccine production, adding both recombinant and adjuvant technologies to the current egg-based platform capabilities.

BARDA is part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, under the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.