Oct 4 (Reuters) - GSK, Sanofi and CSL

Ltd ( CMXHF ) have secured $72 million from the U.S. government

to ramp up production of bird flu vaccines, a health official

said on Friday during a press briefing.

The move comes as a multi-state outbreak among livestock

and poultry has caused human illnesses and infected more than

254 herds in 14 states since March, according to government

data.

The companies will use the funds to fill vials and

pre-filled syringes so that doses can be ready to distribute if

needed, said David Boucher, director of Infectious Disease

Preparedness and Response for the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services.

The latest award includes $37.9 million for CSL, $23.4

million for Sanofi and $10.5 million for GSK.

It would more than double the country's supply of shots

targeting bird flu, raising the country's total supply of

ready-to-use doses to 10 million within the first quarter of

2025.

GSK, Sanofi and CSL will also make additional bulk vaccine

ingredients matched to circulating strains of bird flu, Boucher

said.

Australia's CSL recently

secured

a contract worth $121.4 million to increase the U.S.

government's stockpile for bird flu vaccines to 40 million

doses.

CSL and GSK did not immediately respond to a Reuters request

for comment. Sanofi redirected Reuters to the Biomedical

Advanced Research and Development Authority, a part of HHS that

issued the reward.