FDA approves Novartis flu vaccine that will be produced in Holly Springs

Novartis announced Wednesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the flu vaccine that the company will produce at its plant in Holly Springs.

The influenza vaccine, Flucelvax, is the first vaccine made from animal cell culture rather than chicken eggs.

The billion dollar Holly Springs plant is designed to supply emergency vaccine to one in every four U.S. residents during a pandemic. Once it's completed, the plant will be able to provide 150 million doses within six months of the declaration of a pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services paid $487 million toward the 430,000-square-foot complex as part of a national public safety program.

The plant employ's 480 full-time Novartis employees and 120 contract employees.