Moderna to build a large mRNA production center in the UK

NHS patients will have access to next-generation vaccines and treatments based on an agreement between the government and Moderna to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing and R & D center in the United Kingdom.

The new mRNA Innovation and Technology Center will develop state-of-the-art mRNA vaccines for a variety of respiratory disorders. It includes a Covid vaccine that can protect against multiple variants, helping to protect the UK from potential emerging health threats in the future.

The drug company has also opened a large mRNA production center to ensure access to Moderna’s Covid vaccine to patients in the UK, targeting a variety of other illnesses such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Provides the ability to produce flu jabs. NHS patients can quickly access the latest advances in vaccine technology and provide the UK with a consistent homemade supply. It is expected that new facilities will lead to job creation.

The center will be able to rapidly expand production in the event of a health emergency, significantly improving the UK’s ability to respond to future pandemics.

mRNA technology has proven to be one of the fastest routes to develop highly effective vaccines during pandemics and is crucial in protecting people. It has the potential to be a breakthrough technology in many disease areas such as cancer, influenza, dementia and heart disease. The new research center aims to unleash this potential and benefit NHS patients and people around the world by developing innovative therapies in the United Kingdom.

Construction is expected to begin earlier this year, with the first mRNA vaccine expected to be produced in the United Kingdom in 2025.

This strategic partnership is based on a strong relationship formed between Moderna and the government through a pandemic. Moderna worked closely with the Vaccine Task Force to supply the Covid vaccine used in the initial deployment and subsequent booster campaigns.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

We bring supercharged homemade vaccines to our beaches. I hope the UK is the brightest and best in research and technology, creating more jobs and securing our economic future.

Our investment guarantees a jab of weapons against some of the most powerful viruses out there and brings us to the forefront of the fight against future threats. We have all seen what vaccines can do, and today’s partnership is one step closer to finding us a cure for some of the most devastating illnesses. “

Sajid Javid, Minister of Health, said:

The new partnership with Moderna will solidify Britain’s position as a science superpower, significantly boosting the economy and creating jobs. It may also unlock next-generation vaccines to combat diseases such as Covid, seasonal flu, and RSV.

mRNA is a truly transformative technology and we have seen its life-saving power during a pandemic.

Thanks to this new contract, NHS patients will benefit from scientific advances, and a new state-of-the-art manufacturing center will enable us to produce vaccines quickly on our shores. Improves ability to respond to pandemics. “”

Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, said:

We are pleased to continue to collaborate with the UK Government and the Vaccine Task Force on this new mRNA innovation and technology center in the UK. The UK has established a world-class life sciences and research community.

We are committed to global public health and are pleased to bring local mRNA production to the UK as it continues to expand internationally. I am looking forward to R & D activities and establishment of capabilities in Japan. “

Moderna plans to expand its presence in the UK through investment in R & D and will provide most of the clinical trials in the UK.

The summary agreement with Moderna, negotiated by the Vaccine Task Force and supported by the Office for Life Sciences, marks the start of detailed consultations aimed at establishing a long-term partnership. Details of the new center will be announced as soon as the agreement is reached.

This partnership will support the Life Sciences Vision, launched last July, set the ambition of the UK to become a major global hub of life sciences, and help raise the nation’s status as a science superpower. ..

Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government, said:

The establishment of the Moderna mRNA Innovation and Technology Center is great news for UK R & D activities and future capabilities.

State-of-the-art vaccines were essential to Covid’s response to the pandemic. The development of next-generation mRNA vaccines is extremely important in improving the ability to prevent and respond to various diseases in the future. “

The government has invested £ 395m to secure and expand the UK’s vaccine production capacity since the beginning of the pandemic and will invest more with the industry to strengthen the resilience of domestic vaccines. .. This potential partnership and government investment means that the UK is in a better position to deal with the broader consequences and impacts seen as a result of health emergencies.

The UK has led the way by hosting various clinical trials of the Covid vaccine during a pandemic and discovered dexamethasone, Covid’s first treatment that saved more than one million lives worldwide. The UK recovery trial is responsible for identifying four successful Covid treatments.

Clinical trials are used to determine if a new treatment is safe and effective. All treatments need to go through three powerful testing stages in order for healthcare regulators to collect sufficient data to approve their use in humans.