CSL Seqirus has officially opened its $1 billion plant in Tullamarine, described as the Southern Hemisphere’s first cell-based vaccine manufacturing facility.
CSL Seqirus, reported as the first company in the world to produce cell-based influenza vaccines at commercial scale, will operate the only facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, Invest Victoria said in a media release.
The new plant will manufacture high-value health products including pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines, lifesaving antivenoms, and Q-Fever vaccines.
“CSL Seqirus has been at the forefront of innovation since 1919, and our partnership with the Australian and Victorian Governments has been central to that,” said Dave Ross, CSL Seqirus Senior Vice President and General Manager.
The investment is supported by a 12-year agreement with the Australian Government, under which CSL Seqirus will manufacture and supply critical health products through to 2036.
Invest Victoria said it played a key role in securing the facility for Victoria. According to the agency, the investment will help retain high-value jobs and specialised skills in the state, while strengthening Victoria’s role in national and global vaccine supply chains.
The Melbourne facility is expected to leverage the city’s established life-science and biotech ecosystem, drawing on research institutes, specialist manufacturing expertise, and a highly trained STEM workforce.
Invest Victoria highlighted that the state’s connected biomedical environment enables faster innovation cycles, reliable access to skilled workers, and a supportive setting for advanced manufacturing.
