First mRNA vaccine to be manufactured in UK approved by regulators

The first mRNA vaccine to be manufactured in the UK has been approved by regulators.

The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given Moderna’s Covid-19 mRNA vaccine Spikevax the go-ahead in time for this year’s NHS vaccine campaign.

The drug will be supplied from the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre in Harwell, Oxfordshire, which is due to make millions of cutting-edge mRNA vaccines.

The firm has committed to investing over £1bn in UK research and development over a decade as part of 10-year partnership with government.

Darius Hughes, UK general manager of Moderna, said: “With this approval from the MHRA, we are incredibly proud that our LP.8.1 vaccine will be the first commercially available mRNA vaccine manufactured within the UK.

“By building a sustainable UK-based supply, we are strengthening resilience to Covid-19, future-proofing the UK, and showcasing what British science can achieve when government, industry and researchers work together.”

The partnership with the Government aims to strengthen the UK’s pandemic preparedness by ensuring vaccines can be made in the UK.