Sept 25 (Reuters) - Australia's CSL said on

Wednesday it has got a contract from the U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services (HHS) worth $121.4 million to increase

the U.S. government's stockpile for bird flu vaccines to 40

million doses.

Under the multi-year contract CSL will deliver its MF59

adjuvant, an ingredient that can be used to manufacture vaccines

against the H5 avian influenza virus.

"This decision will further support the U.S. government's

pandemic preparedness efforts," CSL said.

The funding is part of a partnership with the Biomedical

Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

A part of HHS, the BARDA helps companies develop medical

supplies to address public health threats.

This is the fifth award CSL has received from the BARDA in

response to the bird flu outbreak. Under its previous contract

it delivered about 4.8 million doses of its bird flu vaccine.

H5 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is

causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, with several

recent human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention confirmed the 14th human case of H5 reported in the

United States during 2024 and the first case of H5 without a

known occupational exposure to sick or infected animals.

"While the current public health risk is low, the CDC is

watching the situation carefully and working with states to

monitor people with animal exposures," the agency says on its

website.