The Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC), a not-for-profit organisation providing the UK’s first strategic vaccine development and advanced manufacturing capability, has been awarded up to £131million by the Government. This investment will introduce a UK vaccine infrastructure and increase capacity to manufacture a Covid-19 vaccine.
VMIC will invest in more technology to increase its manufacturing capacity at its permanent facility, currently being built at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, to produce 70million vaccine doses in 4-6 months from opening, a 20 fold increase from current figures. Furthermore, the facility’s building schedule will be accelerated to allow it to come online in Summer 2021, a year ahead of schedule.
In response to the funding announcement made by Business Secretary Alok Sharma, Dr Matthew Duchars, VMIC’s Chief Executive, said: “This announcement underscores the Government’s commitment to increase the vaccines infrastructure for the UK and is an endorsement of VMIC’s role in the current and future domestic supply of vaccines.”
