Oxford University coronavirus vaccine trial strikes AstraZeneca distribution deal
The government has given another £84m toward the UK’s two coronavirus vaccine trials as the Oxford University team has struck a licensing deal with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.
The Oxford trial will get another £65.5m, while the Imperial College London trial will get another £18.5m.
Business secretary Alok Sharma also announced at today’s press briefing that the Oxford University trial had stuck a global licensing deal with AstraZeneca.
The deal means that AstraZeneca would be able to provide 30m vaccine doses in the UK and another 70m doses worldwide by September if the trials yield a vaccine.
AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot said: “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.”
The Oxford University team have completed its first round of clinical trials, while the Imperial College team will move to clinical trials next month.
Sharma also said that the UK’s first “vaccine manufacturing innovation centre” would open in summer 2021, which would be a full 12 months ahead of schedule.
“But if, and it is a big if, a successful vaccine is available later this year we will need to be in a position to manufacture it at scale and quickly,” he said.
“Whilst the centre is being built, the government will establish a rapid deployment facility thanks to a further investment of £30m to begin coronavirus manufacturing at scale from this summer.
“This facility will support efforts to ensure a vaccine is widely available for the UK public as soon as possible.”
Sharma also announced that six potential Covid-19 drug treatments are also ready to enter the clinical trial stage in the UK.