Government signs deal for 60 million doses of vaccine

An additional 60 million doses of a potentially lifesaving coronavirus vaccine have been secured by the government, through an agreement with GSK and Sanofi Pasteur.

The agreement increases the UK’s chances of getting access to a safe and effective vaccine by adding a new type of vaccine candidate to the UK’s growing portfolio. Combined, GSK and Sanofi Pasteur have the largest vaccine manufacturing capability in the world.

If the GSK and Sanofi vaccine candidate is proven effective in human studies, the UK could be able to vaccinate priority groups, such as frontline health and social care workers and those at increased health risk, as soon as summer 2021. Human clinical studies of the vaccine will begin in September followed by a Phase 3 study in December 2020.

Including the latest announcement, the government has now secured early access to four different types of immunisation and a total of 250 million doses.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: “Our scientists and researchers are racing to find a safe and effective vaccine at a speed and scale never seen before. While this progress is truly remarkable, the fact remains that there are no guarantees. In the meantime, it is important that we secure early access to a diverse range of promising vaccine candidates, like GSK and Sanofi, to increase our chances of finding one that works so we can protect the public and save lives.”