Valneva Enters into $1.6-Billion Partnership with UK Government for COVID-19 Vaccine

Valneva, a specialty vaccine company, announced on Sept. 14, 2020 that it is entering into an agreement with the UK government for its inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, VLA2001, for up to EUR 900 million (US$1.6 billion).

Under the terms of the agreement, Valneva will supply the UK government with 60 million doses of the vaccine in the second half of 2021 if it is successful, then more than 40 million doses in 2022 and 30 million to 90 million doses from 2023 to 2025, a company press release said. Additionally, the UK government will also invest in in the scale up and development of the vaccine.

“We made the early decision to choose a proven and well-established inactivated vaccine approach which is further validated by this partnership,” said Thomas Lingelbach, CEO of Valneva, in the press release. “We are honored to have been chosen by the UK government and are eager to partner with them to address this terrible ongoing pandemic.”

“Having visited Valneva just last month, I have seen first-hand the incredible work they are doing to develop and manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine,” added UK Business Secretary Alok Sharma, in the press release. “This new agreement could help us vaccinate millions of people across the country, as well as help create a UK vaccine manufacturing facility to speed up access to a potential COVID-19 candidate and boost the country’s resilience against future pandemics.”

Source: Valneva​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​