ABPI welcomes Moderna investment

Moderna has signed an agreement with the UK Government to establish an mRNA Innovation and Technology Center in the UK.

The state-of-the-art mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility is expected to provide access to rapid pandemic response capabilities and Moderna's respiratory virus vaccine candidates.

Once built, the centre is expected to manufacture up to 250mn doses per year, including some for export.

Welcoming the announcement, ABPI Chief Executive Richard Torbett said: 

“Today’s announcement is brilliant news for the future of vaccine science, R&D and manufacturing in the UK.

“The pharmaceutical industry invests more than any other sector in R&D in the UK, driving the discovery of the next generation of medicines and vaccines.  

“Our response to the COVID pandemic underlined the importance of this long-term investment to our health and economic security. The new mRNA Innovation and Technology Centre provides a huge boost to how we can respond to future pandemics and to UK science and research.”