CSL Limited

The outbreak of World War I saw Australia effectively cut off from its traditional overseas sources of vaccines and other bacteriological products. In 1916 the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories were established to overcome this shortfall in serum and vaccine supplies. By the early 1920’s their product range included 5 therapeutic sera, 24 human vaccines, 4 tuberculins, a diphtheria toxin-antitoxin, veterinary vaccines and products, a range of diagnostic agents, and trial productions of insulin. The Commonwealth Serum Laboratories collaborated extensively with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, and in 1930 they released their first tiger snake antivenom. For the next 65 years the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories went on to produce antivenoms against all of the major groups of dangerous Australian snakes and spiders, including one for the Sydney funnel web spider.

In 1961 the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Commission was established, and continued to expand the work carried out by the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories. The Laboratories also took part in the pioneering of the use of human blood products. Towards the late 70’s the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Commission changes its research and production focus, and began winding down its venom and antivenom work. In 1994 the Commission became a public company listed as CSL Limited. CSL now develops, manufactures and markets products such as pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, cell culture reagents, veterinary vaccines and human plasma products. CSL has manufacturing facilities both in Australia and overseas.