Asked by: Josh Fenton-Glynn (Labour - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing funding for (a) vaccines and (b) the wider medtech sector in the context of the US Government’s decision on mRNA vaccine research.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Vaccines are an important tool for preventing and lessening the impacts of disease. The Department invests in vaccine research through several routes, targeting interventions in areas essential for health resilience, such as mRNA vaccine technology. For instance, the Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which includes the UK Vaccine Innovation Pathway to support the rapid set up and delivery of clinical trials in the United Kingdom, including the UK’s first norovirus mRNA vaccine trial. The Department also established the Official Development Assistance-funded UK Vaccine Network Project in 2015 and has funded the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations since 2018.
More widely, the Government is partnering with industry to drive forward mRNA vaccine research and development. Through its ten-year strategic partnership with the Government, signed in 2022, Moderna will invest over £1 billion in mRNA research and development in the UK, strengthening the UK's vaccine manufacturing capacity through construction of the Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre. Additionally, the Government's strategic partnership with BioNTech will see 10,000 National Health Service patients provided with personalised cancer immunotherapies, including mRNA cancer vaccines, by 2030, ensuring that UK patients have early access to these innovative new treatments.
Supporting research into vaccines is critical to improving pandemic preparedness and delivering the global 100 Days Mission, which the UK has supported since its establishment. The mission aims to have safe and effective diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines available and equitably accessible in the first 100 days of a pandemic threat being identified. The £520 million Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund backs UK manufacturing and will bring globally mobile manufacturing investments, including vaccines and medical technology (MedTech), to the UK, strengthening the UK’s economy and generating high-skill, high-wage jobs.
The Government is also committed to supporting the MedTech industry, which is a central pillar in the UK’s life sciences sector and will help build an NHS that is fit for the future. The Government has recently set out its plans for life sciences in the 10-Year Health Plan and the Life Sciences Sector Plan, which includes enhancing support for MedTech small and medium-sized enterprises through UK Research and Innovation and NIHR.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help promote UK vaccine development.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Vaccines are critical for preventing infectious diseases, and lessening their impact. Vaccine development ensures that the United Kingdom remains on the cutting edge of technological advancements, and is able to respond to new and emerging disease risks. The Department’s work on vaccine development aligns with the Biological Security Strategy, which seeks to ensure that the UK is resilient to a spectrum of biological threats and is a world leader in responsible innovation by 2030. It also contributes to the 100 Days Mission, a global mission to have safe and effective diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines in the first 100 days of a pandemic. The Department promotes UK vaccine development through a variety of mechanisms, including:
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made with Moderna on the (a) manufacture of mRNA vaccines in the UK, (b) establishment of a global clinical trials base and (c) investment in UK-based research and development activities.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
As part of the Moderna-UK Strategic Partnership signed in December 2022, Moderna is building an mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility in Harwell, Oxfordshire. The Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre will support the United Kingdom to be more resilient in the face of future pandemics and health emergencies. It is expected to become operational in 2025.
Moderna is also committed to substantial investment in research and development activities in the UK over the 10-year partnership. This includes running a significant number of clinical trials in the UK and funding grants for UK universities, including PhD places and research programmes.
Since the partnership was established, Moderna has launched 13 trials at over 80 sites in England, Scotland, and Wales, including for Mpox, respiratory syncytial virus, and COVID-19 vaccines. Moderna has funded a PhD at the University of Cambridge and four mRNA Access Partnerships across UK universities. This partnership will also create over 150 skilled jobs in the UK.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help support research into cell and gene therapy in Scotland.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The UK is a world-leader in the development and manufacture of cell and gene therapies thanks to government investment in innovation and skills, including through the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGTC).
DSIT also invested £10 million - alongside £10 million from Scottish Enterprise – to support a new Oligonucleotide Manufacturing Innovation Centre of Excellence in Glasgow.
The Vaccine Taskforce provided funding for a state-of-the art CGTC facility in Braintree to accelerate the development and manufacturing of advanced therapies at clinical and commercial scale.
My department also supported CGTC to establish apprenticeships and training programmes to upskill people across the UK.
Asked by: Jack Brereton (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) UK’s vaccine vial production capability, (b) reliance of the UK on the import of medical grade vials and (c) security of UK supply chains in the event of a future pandemic.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Department for Business and Trade has not conducted assessments on these specific goods. The Government has established strategic partnerships with industry to maintain security of vaccine supply in the event of a pandemic. This includes our partnership with Moderna which is building an innovation and technology centre with capacity from 2025 to produce up to 250 million doses of mRNA vaccines annually onshore in the United Kingdom.
The UK Health Security Agency has also agreed an advanced purchase agreement with Seqirus UK Limited to access 100 million vaccines if a future influenza pandemic is declared. The manufacturing process will be based entirely in the UK, giving better security of access if global demand ever outweighs supply. As part of these contracts, the Government regularly assesses risks that may impact the performance of the contract.
Asked by: Matt Hancock (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that his Department's work on pandemic preparedness planning includes immunogenicity research.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
An established clinical countermeasures programme, including arrangements for vaccines, is a core component of our pandemic preparedness and response capability. The programme is informed by scientific and clinical assessment of the evidence base, including the latest evidence on vaccine-induced immunogenicity, and is kept under review, building on lessons learned from previous outbreaks.
In December 2022, the Government and Moderna entered a strategic partnership to set up mRNA research and development and manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom. Under the partnership, Moderna will build a new Innovation and Technology Centre in the UK, which will create more than 150 highly skilled jobs and have the capacity to produce up to 250 million vaccines per year in the event of a pandemic.
The Department, commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Since 2018, the NIHR has allocated over £80 million in funding for a broad portfolio of immunology research that has included immunogenicity as a consideration. Whilst it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, the NIHR welcomes funding application for research into any aspect of human health, including immunogenicity.
The Office for Life Sciences new £38 million biomanufacturing fund will incentivise investment to bolster the UK’s onshore capacity and capability across the biomanufacturing supply chain for vaccines and other medicines.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, If he will include immunogenicity research in his Department's pandemic preparedness plans.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
An established clinical countermeasures programme, including arrangements for vaccines, is a core component of our pandemic preparedness and response capability. The programme is informed by scientific and clinical assessment of the evidence base, including the latest evidence on vaccine-induced immunogenicity, and is kept under review, building on lessons learned from previous outbreaks.
In December 2022, the Government and Moderna entered a strategic partnership to set up mRNA research and development and manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom. Under the partnership, Moderna will build a new Innovation and Technology Centre in the UK, which will create more than 150 highly skilled jobs and have the capacity to produce up to 250 million vaccines per year in the event of a pandemic.
The Department, commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Since 2018, the NIHR has allocated over £80 million in funding for a broad portfolio of immunology research that has included immunogenicity as a consideration. Whilst it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, the NIHR welcomes funding application for research into any aspect of human health, including immunogenicity.
The Office for Life Sciences new £38 million biomanufacturing fund will incentivise investment to bolster the UK’s onshore capacity and capability across the biomanufacturing supply chain for vaccines and other medicines.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the decision of VMIC UK Services Ltd to sell the Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre on the UK's vaccine manufacturing capabilities.
Answered by Will Quince
The decision to sell the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC UK Ltd) was made by VMIC UK Ltd's Board of Directors. The facility was subsequently sold to Catalent. Once completed, it is intended that the facility will be capable of producing a range of therapeutics and vaccines.
Over £405 million has been invested to strengthen United Kingdom manufacturing infrastructure to ensure a robust response to COVID-19 and potential future health emergencies and we have ambitious plans to invest more into the vaccine ecosystem and supply chain. Officials continue to engage with industry stakeholders to understand the wider landscape and implications for vaccine development and manufacturing in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they have received about the impact of the loss of the Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre following its sale.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The decision to sell the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre was made by VMIC UK Ltd's Board of Directors. The facility was subsequently sold to Catalent. Once completed, it is intended that the facility will be capable of producing a range of therapeutics and vaccines.
Officials regularly engage with industry stakeholders to understand the wider landscape and implications for vaccine development and manufacturing in the UK and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications the sale of the Vaccines Manufacturing And Innovation Centre (VMIC) near Oxford for the UK’s long-term investment in vaccine manufacturing; and how the disposal of the VMIC will contribute to the preparedness of the UK for future pandemics, particularly in view of the experiences of COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
The decision to sell the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre was made by VMIC UK Ltd.’s Board of Directors, with the facility being subsequently sold to Catalent. Once completed, it is intended that the facility will be capable of producing a range of therapeutics and vaccines.
Officials regularly engage with industry stakeholders to understand the wider landscape and implications for vaccine development and manufacturing in the United Kingdom and will continue to do so. Officials are also working across Government to review lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future health emergencies.