Coronavirus: Australia's most valuable company CSL collecting plasma, looking for COVID-19 cure

Australian biotechnology giant CSL is collecting less blood plasma from US donors as more people stay home due to the coronavirus pandemic but the decline should not affect full-year profit.

Chief executive Paul Perreault told an investor briefing on Thursday "there clearly is some decline" in receiving plasma at its donation centres in the US.

CSL collects plasma to produce treatments for many autoimmune, respiratory and other illnesses, and is working on a coronavirus vaccine.

However, many Americans have postponed donating plasma due to restrictions on movement to slow the spread of the outbreak, which has killed more than 14,000 Americans.

Mr Perreault said plasma collections had dipped since March but "we do have the plasma that's needed to supply through this year".

"We're still collecting a lot of plasma, it's just not where we would like to be at the moment," he said of the amount received.

Seats for donors have been set further apart, among other social distancing measures.

CSL has been communicating the measures to donors.

"I do expect we'll see our donors return as they feel they are safe," Mr Perreault said.

The reduced collection should not have any impact on full-year financial results, he said.

CSL's profit range remains from $US2.1 billion to $US2.17 billion ($A3.4 billion-$A3.48 billion).

Mr Perreault said there were no supply chain problems from the pandemic as the business had always used many sources to acquire materials.

He said there had been no decline in sales due to the life-saving nature of the products.

"Patients need these products," he said.

"More now than ever, our patients need a continuous supply of medicines."

Working on a coronavirus vaccine and other treatments had implications for other projects, however.

Mr Perreault said there would be modest delays to some capital projects and clinical trials.

The Australian government recently asked CSL to step up its production of the flu vaccine.

The government is providing the vaccine free for people aged over 65 years to avert a dual coronavirus and flu crisis.

Its shares at 1211 AEST were trading 1.43 per cent higher at $316.40.

In March, CSL replaced the Commonwealth Bank as Australia's largest listed company.

It is one of 27 ASX/300 firms whose share price has increased in value in 2020 amid a wider market downturn.