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US biomedical giant Moderna has announced plans to build a £1bn state-of-the-art research and manufacturing centre in the UK.
The firm will establish a global clinical trials base, as part of the partnership with the UK government, and build its first facility in the UK.
The partnership could see construction of the new facility begin later this year. Once complete, it will assist Moderna in developing mRNA vaccines for respiratory diseases, including new treatments for COVID-19 variants.
According to the Department for Health and Social Care, the pharmaceutical company will also open a large-scale mRNA manufacturing centre, which will offer UK patients guaranteed access to Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine.
It will also give it the capability to produce jabs targeting a range of other illnesses, such as flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The mRNA technology has proven to be one of the fastest routes for developing highly effective vaccines during the pandemic and has been pivotal in protecting people.
It has the potential to be a transformative breakthrough technology in a number of disease areas, such as cancer, flu, dementia and heart disease. The new research centre will look to unlock this potential by developing revolutionary treatments in the UK.
Prime minister Boris Johnson said: “We are bringing supercharged, homegrown vaccines right to our shores. I want the UK to be the brightest and best in research and technology, creating more jobs and securing our economic future.
“Our investment will guarantee jabs in arms against some of the toughest viruses out there, bringing us to the forefront of the fight against future threats. We’ve all seen what vaccines can do, and today’s partnership brings us one step closer to finding cures for some of the most devastating diseases.”
The outline agreement with Moderna, negotiated by the Vaccine Taskforce and supported by the Office for Life Sciences, signals the start of detailed talks, with the intention of establishing a long-term partnership. As the agreement is finalised, further details on the new centre will be announced in due course.
The partnership will support the Life Sciences Vision that was launched in July 2021, setting an ambition for the UK to become the leading global hub for life sciences, helping to boost the country’s status as a science superpower.
Moderna chief executive officer Stéphane Bancel said: “We are excited to be able to continue our collaboration with the UK government and Vaccine Taskforce with this new mRNA innovation and technology centre in the UK. The UK has established a world-class life sciences and research community.
“We are committed to global public health, and as we continue to expand internationally, we are pleased to bring local mRNA manufacturing to the UK. We look forward to establishing our research and development activities and capabilities in the country.”