New Australian-first vaccine in the fight against influenza – Flucelvax® Quad
· There is a new option for Australians in the fight against influenza - with Flucelvax® Quad approved for people aged nine years and older.1
· Flucelvax® Quad is the first cell-based influenza vaccine offered in Australia.1
· Cell-based manufacturing is one of the most significant changes in influenza vaccine manufacturing in 70 years.2
· More than 100 million doses of Flucelvax Quad® have been distributed worldwide.3
MELBOURNE, 22 MARCH 2021 – A new, Australian-first flu vaccine technology will be available in 2021, with Seqirus today announcing availability of its new cell-based seasonal influenza vaccine, FLUCELVAX® QUAD [quadrivalent influenza vaccine (surface antigen, inactivated, prepared in cell cultures)]. The four-strain vaccine is the first cell-based influenza vaccine available in Australia, approved by the TGA for use in adults and children nine years of age and older.1
Cell-based technology is one of the most significant changes in the development of influenza vaccines for 70 years – a transition away from traditional manufacturing methods which have largely stayed the same since the 1930s.2
Ahead of each flu season, the World Health Organization (WHO) issues recommendations on which specific influenza strains should be included in the vaccines, based on which strains are predicted to be most problematic.4 How closely vaccines match these strains is one of the factors impacting vaccine effectiveness.5,6
The production of Flucelvax®Quad using cell-based technology results in a close match to the WHO-selected strains.4,7-10
Cell-based manufacturing produces large quantities of influenza virus containing the WHO-selected strains.7,11 The viruses are then harvested, inactivated, and purified, and packaged into syringes - making up Flucelvax® Quad.11,12
Flucelvax® Quad works by causing your body to produce its own protection against the four types of influenza virus from which it is made, this helps prevent infection and control the spread of disease.13
Pediatrician Professor Robert Booy said it was exciting to see the arrival of a cell-based influenza vaccine in Australia for the first time.
"With Flucelvax® in use overseas for almost a decade, it's great to see the technology now available in Australia.
"This offers an additional option to health care providers and consumers and will be an important tool in the fight against influenza for many years to come."
Dr Jonathan Anderson, Seqirus Head of Medical Affairs Asia Pacific, said that while high-rates of vaccination and social distancing had driven down influenza rates last season, we can't be complacent about the potential impacts of flu.
"Seqirus is committed to continuous innovation in influenza prevention, and we are pleased to be able to provide a new vaccine option in Flucelvax® Quad to Australians in a season when we know flu vaccination will be so important."
Availability of Flucelvax® Quad in Australia comes off the back of Seqirus' $800 million investment in a world-class cell-based influenza vaccine manufacturing facility in Australia – to be located in Melbourne. This means that in future years, Flucelvax® Quad will be manufactured in Australia.
Flucelvax® Quad will be available for purchase via GP clinics, pharmacies and other immunisation providers – it will not be funded on the National Immunisation Program in 2021.
Official advice from the Federal Department of Health is that all Australians from 6 months of age should be vaccinated against influenza, with the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation advising a 14-day window between currently available COVID-19 and influenza vaccines is preferable.14
The most common reported adverse events from clinical trials were local injection site reactions, most commonly pain and redness.1 In addition, the most common systemic adverse events reported were headache and fatigue. These adverse events were generally mild to moderate in nature.1
As with all injectable vaccines, appropriate medical treatment and supervision should always be readily available in case of a rare anaphylactic event following vaccination.1 Additionally, immunisation should be postponed in patients with febrile illness or acute infection.1 Flucelvax® Quad should not be used in individuals with a history of severe allergic reactions (e.g. anaphylaxis) to any component of the vaccine or to a previous dose of any influenza vaccine.1
Please speak with your healthcare professional if you have any questions about flu vaccination, including whether it is suitable for you.
For 100 years Seqirus – a CSL company - has been on the front line in the fight against influenza in Australia, and in 2021 we continue to build on this history of innovation by delivering this Australian-first vaccine to patients.
