TGA approves local production of AstraZeneca vaccine
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has granted approval to AstraZeneca for its COVID-19 vaccine to be manufactured in Australia.
The TGA approved the local manufacture of the vaccine today, following weeks of frustration over the slow rollout of imported doses.
The regulatory agency allowed the local use of overseas-manufactured AstraZeneca jabs on February 16.
“Manufacture of biological medicines such as vaccines is a highly-specialised process and the establishment of Australian manufacture of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca by CSL – Seqirus has involved extensive work by both industry and the TGA over the last six months,” the TGA said in a media release.
“Today’s approval is a critical and very exciting milestone in Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The vaccine is being manufactured at two sites in suburban Melbourne.
CSL-Behring Australia in Broadmeadows are manufacturing the active raw vaccine material, while the final vaccine doses are being manufactured, vials filled and packaged at Seqirus in Parkville (a CSL company).
The TGA will still have to approve every batch of vaccines produced by the facilities, though it is anticipated the first approvals are imminent and locally-made batches will be released in coming days.
