Construction is under way on Moderna's new manufacturing hub which will develop next-generation vaccines against Covid variants and protect the public in future pandemics.
Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer Moderna was granted permission by Vale of White Horse District Council last month to build the 16,000 metre-square research, development and manufacturing centre at the Harwell Campus.
It will deliver cutting-edge vaccines for a wide range of respiratory diseases, pending regulatory assessment and licensing.
The Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) will also include a clinical biomarker laboratory.
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An official ceremony was attended by the chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, Professor Dame Jenny Harries, local community leaders and representatives from the UK’s health resilience and life sciences community.
Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: “Putting spades in the ground in Harwell marks a new chapter in the country’s pandemic preparedness as up to 250 million vaccines per year will be produced here – helping to keep the UK population safe in the event of a future pandemic.”
The centre, which should open in 2025, will create hundreds of jobs during construction and operation.
Professor Harries said: “This facility will significantly strengthen the UK’s vaccine development and research capabilities, helping shore up our defences against future health threats, including pandemics.
“Once built, it will be capable of producing millions of vaccines against respiratory diseases and other illnesses, placing the UK at the global forefront of health science and innovation.
“Partnerships like the one we have with Moderna will help us remain agile in our response to health threats as they emerge, and the construction of this facility will help ensure the UK has a health protection system fit for the future.”
The Harwell campus is already a leading hub for the pioneering research and development of mRNA and other nucleic acid therapeutics.
Stuart Grant, chief executive of Harwell Campus, said: "MRNA technology has the capability to transform how we treat a variety of diseases and enhance UK resilience against future pandemics.
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"We’re entering a new era of medicine so it’s important that we deliver and build cutting edge facilities to reflect this and spaces that promote innovation and encourage collaboration."
Carter Jonas will advise on town planning matters through to delivery of the project.
Steven Sensecall, partner at Carter Jonas in Oxford, added: "Delivery of the MITC will be of significant benefit to both Moderna and other companies based here and we are very pleased to have played an instrumental in obtaining this further planning consent."
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