Sartorius Stedim Biotech (SSB), an international supplier for the pharma and biotech industries, has receivedseveral large orders for consumables used in biopharmaceutical productionfrom leading global vaccine manufacturers. The companies have primarily ordered specialtyfilters, aseptic single-use bags and other disposables for sterile filtration ofpharmaceutical liquids and for storage and transport of intermediate serumproducts. The orders from major vaccine producers are linked to current A (H1N1)influenza vaccine testing and the expected startup of production operations.Various countries. governments have meanwhile been requesting significantquantities of the vaccine from these producers in an effort to stockpile asufficient supply. During the upcoming months, Sartorius Stedim Biotechexpects to receive further orders related to the global expansion of swine fluvaccine production. The company is a preferred partner of vaccinemanufacturers and supplies products both for classic, egg-based vaccineproduction and innovative cell culture-based processes using bioreactors.”We are carefully tracking the situation and are in close contact with our globalcustomers so we are well prepared,” said Dr. Joachim Kreuzburg, CEO ofSartorius Stedim Biotech. “Apart from the current situation we are facing withthe outbreak of swine flu, we have long understood the growing importance ofthe vaccine market and have been developing appropriate products, especiallyfor flexible single-use.” Currently, there is still no vaccine available to protect against swine flu.However, the viral strain has already been isolated so that development of aneffective vaccine can soon begin. Approvals for the corresponding samplevaccines already exist. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), itwill probably take five to six months before a commercial vaccine is ready.Production is expected to start in the summer of 2009, subject to approval bythe pharmaceutical authorities.
