UK’s top researchers rapidly working to find a coronavirus
vaccine will benefit from £84 million of new government funding,
Business Secretary has announced today (Sunday 17
May).
The funding comes as Oxford University today agrees a global
licensing agreement with AstraZeneca, the UK-based pharmaceutical
company, for the commercialisation and manufacturing of their
potential vaccine.
This means that, if the Oxford vaccine is successful, AstraZeneca
will work to make up to 30 million doses available by September
for people in the UK, as part of an agreement to deliver 100
million doses in total.
This will mean the UK will be the first country to get access to
the vaccine, should it be successful.
Business Secretary said:
“Our scientists are at the forefront of vaccine development. This
deal with AstraZeneca means that if the Oxford University vaccine
works, people in the UK will get the first access to it, helping
to protect thousands of lives.
“The agreement will deliver 100 million doses in total, ensuring
that in addition to supporting our own people, we are able to
make the vaccines available to developing countries at the lowest
possible cost.
“The UK continues to lead the global response to find a vaccine,
and the government is backing our scientists to do this as
quickly as possible.”
Pascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca, said:
“AstraZeneca is at the forefront of the response to COVID-19, and
we are proud to be working with Oxford University to help make
this vaccine available as quickly as possible. I would like to
thank HM Government for its commitment to the vaccine and welcome
its leadership and generosity for its help in expanding access
beyond the UK. Our company is working hard to establish parallel
supply agreements with other nations and multilateral
organisations to ensure fair and equitable access around the
world.”
Professor Sir , Regius Professor of
Medicine at Oxford University, said:
“The University of Oxford is immensely proud of the scientists at
the Jenner Institute and the Oxford Vaccine Group who have worked
tirelessly to discover and develop this vaccine in record time.
We now have a partner in AstraZeneca who are ideally positioned
to help us evaluate the vaccine, manufacture it and distribute it
to UK citizens as well as to the rest of the world. They share
our commitment to true global access to end this pandemic.”
Professor Robin Shattock of Imperial College London said:
“This funding will greatly accelerate our efforts to demonstrate
the effectiveness of our vaccine and make it available to at risk
populations as rapidly as possible. Access to such support allows
us to move at unprecedented speed.”
The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to research
and develop a vaccine. The government has already pledged £250
million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations
(CEPI), the highest contribution of any country. This is part of
the UK committing £388 million to the international drive to
develop vaccines, tests and treatments. In June, the UK will also
host the upcoming global pledging conference for Gavi, the
Vaccine Alliance.
Notes to Editors:
Expert Advisory Board members
The expert advisory group advises, challenges and support the
Vaccine Task Force in their goal to ensure that the UK population
has access to clinically effective and safe vaccines as soon as
possible.
- Chair: Patrick Vallance- GCSA, Government Office for Science
- Jonathan Van Tam - Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England
- Charlotte Deane - Deputy Executive Chair of the EPSRC
- Robin Shattock - Head of Mucosal Infection and Immunity,
Department of Medicine at Imperial College
- Sarah Gilbert - Professor of Vaccinology, Jenner Institute
& Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine
- Janet Downie - CEO at RoslinCT
- Kate Bingham - Managing Partner at SV Health Investors
-
- Government Life
Science’s Champion and Regius Chair of Medicine at the
University of Oxford
- Jeremy Farrar - Director at Wellcome Trust
- Menelas Pangalos - Executive Vice-President,
BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca
- Ian McCubbin - Independent Pharma Specialist and Chair of
Manufacturing Advisory Group
- Andrew Pollard - Professor of Paediatric Infection and
Immunity at the University of Oxford
- Richard Hatchett - CEO, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness
Innovations (CEPI)
- June Raine - Chief Executive at the Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency
- Andrew Witty – WHO Vaccine Special Envoy
- Jeff Almond - former Vice President and Head of Discovery
Research and External R&D at Sanofi Pasteur
