Chiron to Boost Flu Vaccine Production 25%

Chiron Corp., the world’s second-biggest maker of influenza shots, will boost production of its Fluvirin vaccine by about 25% next year, Chief Executive Howard Pien said.

Pien, speaking at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, also said the board approved a request to spend $100 million to update its vaccine-manufacturing facilities. The company will make about 50 million doses of the vaccine next year, up from more than 40 million this year, the company said.

Shares of Emeryville, Calif.-based Chiron fell 36 cents to $51.14 on Nasdaq.

From Bloomberg News