Moderna Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) announced on Sunday it would open its new innovation and technology centre (MITC) in Oxfordshire, providing “hundreds” of new jobs and boosting vaccine production.
It comes after Moderna struck a ten-year deal with the UK government to produce 250mln mRNA vaccines annually in the country, with the new site set to encompass research, development and manufacturing within the Harwell Campus health tech cluster.
Construction is due to begin this year, the US-based biotech giant said, with the site becoming operational in 2025 given necessary regulatory approval.
“We look forward to […] contributing to the UK’s science and innovation community through investments in research and development,” Moderna’s UK general manager Darius Hughes said.
Health secretary Steve Barclay commented the new facility would help the UK battle against future variants of Covid-19, also increasing defences against other respiratory viruses.
Building work at the site will be carried out by Birmingham-based engineering firm IPS, aided by other partners including property consultant Bidwells.
“We're bringing forward these proposals at breakneck speed to respond to the urgent national need to prepare ourselves for any future pandemic,” Bidwells local boss Richard Todd said.
Investment secretary Dominic Johnson hailed the UK's deal with Moderna as helping it on the way "to become a science and technology superpower," meanwhile.
Moderna shares climbed 0.8% on Monday following the news, to US$144.35.