Moderna to open first vaccine factory in UK

BRITAIN has been handed a major boost after jab maker Moderna said it would build its first vaccine factory in the UK.

The £1bn deal between the Government and Moderna will make the UK a global leader in vaccine development and prepare it for future pandemics. US giant Moderna played a key role in vaccinating Britain with its Covid mRNA jabs.

The £1bn will fund a manufacturing base and a research and development centre at a site to be named. Construction will start this year, with the factory expected to start producing jabs by 2025. It is hoped mRNA tech can also fight cancer, heart disease, flu and malaria.

Boris Johnson said: ‘We’ve seen what vaccines can do, and today’s partnership brings us one step closer to finding cures for some of the most devastating diseases.’