Wockhardt signs up to COVID-19 vaccine partnership with UK Government

The company has reserved one fill/finish line for the next 18 months to guarantee the supply of vaccines required to fight COVID-19 in the UK.

The company has reserved manufacturing capacity to allow for the supply of multiple vaccines to the UK Government in its fight against COVID-19, including AZD1222, the vaccine co-invented by the University of Oxford and its spin-out company, Vaccitech, and licensed by AstraZeneca.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said the additional capacity to manufacture millions of doses of multiple COVID-19 candidates will help to guarantee the supply of vaccines needed to protect people across the UK.”

Speaking about the contract Ravi Limaye, Managing Director Wockhardt UK said its "sophisticated sterile manufacturing facility" and "highly skilled workforce" are expected to start delivering the first doses of the vaccine later this year.

The government has reserved one fill and finish production line for its exclusive use for the next 18 months to guarantee the supply of vaccines required to fight COVID-19 in the UK.

Kate Bingham, Chair of the Vaccines Taskforce said: “Fill/Finish is a critical step in the process to get the vaccine in a form to be given to patients. The agreement with Wockhardt will boost our capability to ensure that from the moment a successful vaccine is identified we will be able to produce the quantities of vaccine required, as quickly as possible, for the people who need it.”