BIA welcomes further funding for both Imperial and Oxford COVID-19 clinical trials and manufacturing capability

Responding to the funding announcement at today’s Downing Street COVID-19 briefing by the Health Secretary Matt Hancock, for Imperial College London and Oxford University, Steve Bates OBE, Chief Executive of the BioIndustry Association (BIA) said:

 

 

“Today’s announcement of funding for Imperial College London (Professor Robin Shattock) and Oxford University (Professor Sarah Gilbert), which will support both their clinical trials and manufacturing capability, is extremely welcome.

 

“It was pleasing to hear the Health Secretary recognise the fantastic science being undertaken in the UK to tackle COVID-19, and for him to state the Government’s clear commitment to give both projects “every resource they need”, moving into the future. The BIA Vaccine Manufacturing taskforce will continue to assess supply chains of both these projects as these clinical trials progress, so we can scale and rapidly deploy any successful COVID-19 vaccine candidate. ”

 

ENDS

 

Notes to Editors

1. For more information please contact Jack Fellows, Communications and Media Manager on [email protected] or 07825942934

 

 

Workstreams & leads

Chair of the Industry-led Vaccine Manufacturing Group: Ian McCubbin

1. Adenovirus vaccine: Cobra Biologics & Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
2. mRNA vaccine manufacture and formulation: CPI
3. Antibody: Alchemab and Kymab
4. Fill Finish: Innovate UK
5. Supply Chain: Fujifilm
6. VMIC: VMIC
7. Communications: UCL and BIA

 

Supported by MHRA, UKRI, GSK and KTN

 

BIA Industry-led vaccine manufacturing group aims

 

Short term urgent: Accelerate UK manufacturing capacity & capability to produce Xm doses of vaccine

Long term:  Create a UK capability that can deliver 25 million doses in 24 weeks by 2023

 

3. The group is built upon work done by the BIA during the Ebola crisis, where the BIA completed a UK manufacturing capacity audit of its members, to help support global international co-ordination efforts.

 

About the BIA 

Established over 25 years ago at the infancy of biotechnology, the BioIndustry Association (BIA) is the trade association for innovative life sciences in the UK. Our goal is to secure the UK's position as a global hub and as the best location for innovative research and commercialisation, enabling our world-leading research base to deliver healthcare solutions that can truly make a difference to people's lives.