Posted by Michael Wonder on 05 Dec 2018
CSL's improved flu vaccine won't reach Australia until 2021
5 December 2018 - Australians may have to wait until 2021 for CSL's new cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine, which was found to be 36% more effective in preventing flu than traditional egg-based vaccines in the US after the severe 2017-18 winter.
Blood products giant CSL said it expected European approval by Christmas eve for its Flucelvax vaccine and will apply to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for approval to use the vaccine in Australia next year.
Andrew Cuthbertson, CSL's chief scientific officer, said TGA approval typically takes 12-18 months, meaning Flucelvax won't be available in Australia until 2020 at the earliest – and possibly not until 2021.
