Solvay Pharmaceuticals announced today that it will invest more than EUR 50 million in a new integrated facility for the production of influenza vaccines generated through an innovative cell culture method. The new production unit will be based in Weesp (Netherlands), on Solvay Pharmaceuticals’ business site. Building work will start early 2003 and completion is foreseen before the 2005 vaccine production season. The construction of this new facility means a considerable expansion of the Influvac® production capacity, which will be sufficient for European and other markets.
Each year the production of influenza vaccines requires millions of specially bred chicken eggs. Solvay’s novel production method uses readily available cells, resulting in a much more flexible and efficient technology. The use of Solvay’s MDCK cell line makes it possible to start up vaccine production at any time, independent of the availability of eggs. MDCK is a mammalian cell line that has been used for decades in laboratories all over the world and for the production of veterinary vaccines. Solvay will be the first company using this cell line for the commercial production of human vaccines.
When there is a threat of a worldwide influenza pandemic, this technology makes it possible to react quicker to produce vaccines. Such pandemics have occurred in the past and affected millions of people all over the world. As demonstrated in Hong Kong in 1997, the pandemic threat is very real and in view of this imminent danger the World Health Organization has stressed the urgent need for cell-cultured influenza vaccines.
The research and development of the innovative MDCK cell culture was done in Solvay’s own virological laboratories in Weesp, the Netherlands. This new production method is considered to be state of the art technology and is meeting the highest quality demands.
Mr. Sjirk Kok, Manager of the Business Group Influenza, said: “We are very pleased that we can now start building this new factory. This new cell culture technology offers at the moment the only realistic opportunity to face both influenza epidemics and pandemic situations. It is also an important step in enabling us to respond to the growing market demand for influenza vaccines in Europe and elsewhere in the world”.
SOLVAY PHARMACEUTICALS is the second largest producer of influenza vaccines in Europe. Solvay Pharmaceuticals will continue the manufacturing of its egg-based vaccine Influvac®, which is sold in more than 40 countries with an expected turnover of around 65 MEUR in 2002.
SOLVAY is an international chemical and pharmaceutical Group with headquarters in Brussels. It employs about 31,400 in 50 countries. In 2001 its consolidated sales amounted to EUR 8.7 billion, generated by its four sectors of activity: Chemicals, Plastics, Processing and Pharmaceuticals. Solvay is listed in the Euronext 100 index of top European companies. For further information please consult: www.solvay.com and www.solvaypharmaceuticals.com.
Note to the Editor:
Three influenza pandemics hit the world in the 20th century: in 1918, 1957 and 1968. Millions of people lost their lives in the course of these. New influenza viruses that are easily transmitted among humans may emerge anywhere, at any time. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the next influenza pandemic is inevitable. Recently the WHO has taken the global lead in urging countries to develop pandemic preparedness plans, and also the European Commission has taken a similar initiative for the European Community.
At the First European Influenza Conference in October 2002 in Malta, Dr. Jeroen Medema of Solvay Pharmaceuticals showed data predicting for such a pandemic a potential 2% mortality rate, indicating that up to 7.6 million people might die in Europe alone. He also indicated that a more rapid availability of vaccines would save many lives in the event of a pandemic.
Current production cycles are designed to release product in time for annual vaccination campaigns – which take place before the winter season starts. However, experience shows that a pandemic virus does not follow normal seasonal rules. Furthermore pandemic vaccine requirements would outweigh current production volumes. A significant increase in production capacity to ensure an adequate level of pandemic vaccine supply is consequently required.
The MDCK Cell culture-based manufacturing technology developed by Solvay Pharmaceuticals contributes to higher levels of pandemic preparedness, thanks to greater flexibility and rapid start up of production compared with current egg-based manufacturing methods.
