On Mar. 26, 2013, GlaxoSmithKline and the Texas A&M University System announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services approved the establishment of a $91 million influenza-vaccines manufacturing facility as the anchor of the Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing in Bryan-College Station, Texas.

The TAMUS influenza vaccines manufacturing center affords GSK the capabilities to eventually manufacture influenza vaccine based on a proprietary cell-culture line, EB66®. Most existing influenza vaccine is manufactured using fertilized chicken eggs. The cell-culture process will supplement the vaccine supply from eggs, and facilitate a rapid national vaccine response in the event of a pandemic.

GSK Vaccines produces 30 vaccines worldwide, eleven of which are licensed by the FDA.  The Texas A&M-GSK venture will complement and support the company’s existing influenza vaccines operations, based in Quebec, Canada, and Dresden, Germany. GSK’s operations hub in Marietta, Pennsylvania will package, inspect and distribute influenza vaccine manufactured at the Texas A&M Center.