Moderna Advances U.K. Vaccine Plant After Government Deal

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Moderna Incorporated (NASDAQ:MRNA) (Cambridge, Massachusetts) looks set to move forward with plans to build a new messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine manufacturing center in the U.K. following a deal with the government.

The company has signed a 10-year "strategic partnership" that will guarantee the U.K. access to a domestic supply of COVID-19 vaccines. It follows on from an agreement in principle announced in June last year. No location has been revealed yet, but Industrial Info is tracking two projects with a combined investment value of US$70 million. Construction is expected to commence in early 2023, with the facility expected to become operational by 2025, subject to planning and regulatory approvals. The Innovation and Technology Center will create more than 150 skilled jobs and have the capacity to produce up to 250 million vaccines per year.

"Our new state-of-the-art facility will bring mRNA manufacturing to U.K. shores, providing the U.K. public with access to pandemic response capabilities through Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and future respiratory virus vaccine candidates," said Stéphane Bancel, chief executive officer of Moderna. "We look forward to being part of the U.K.'s world-renowned science and innovation community, contributing to the U.K. health ecosystem through significant investments in R&D activities and expanding our clinical trial footprint across the country."

The government claimed the deal will give U.K. patients access to a "U.K.-made supply of COVID-19 jabs as well as cutting-edge vaccines developed for other respiratory diseases, such as flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)". U.K. secretary of state for health and social care, Steve Barclay, said: "This time two years ago, the U.K. was the first country in the world to administer a COVID vaccine outside of a clinical trial. Since then, countless lives have been saved across the world and more than 150 million doses have been given in the U.K. alone. It is vital we invest in fighting future variants of this disease as well as other deadly viruses that are circulating, such as seasonal flu and RSV, and this partnership with Moderna will also strengthen our ability to respond to any future pandemics. By boosting our onshore vaccine manufacturing capability, we are a step closer to becoming the leading global hub for life sciences."

The news was welcomed by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). "This partnership is fantastic news for British manufacturing and U.K.-based science and research," said Richard Torbett, chief executive of ABPI. "It is an important reminder that the Life Sciences Industry has the potential to be a key growth driver for the U.K. economy. The pharmaceutical industry already invests more than any other sector in R&D in the U.K., driving the discovery of the next generation of medicines and vaccines. As this deal shows, with the right support and backing from the government, our industry can drive forward innovation-led growth, and deliver the high-quality, high-value jobs our economy needs."

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).