Novartis will build a $600 million plant in the United States to develop flu vaccines using advanced, cell-culture techniques. The facility would be based in holly Springs, North Carolina, and construction is expected to begin in 2007. Once operational, the plant is expected to manufacture up to 50 million doses of seasonal trivalent flu vaccines, which will be for use in the United States.

Part of this investment includes the $220 million grant Novartis received from the US Department of Health and Human Services in May, 2006.

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