State-of-the-art research centre promises millions of seasonal vaccines, pandemic preparedness, and a boost to Britain’s £100bn life sciences sector…reports Asian Lite News
A new era of vaccine innovation has begun in Oxfordshire as pioneering US biotech company Moderna formally opened its Innovation and Technology Centre on Wednesday, marking one of the most significant investments in Britain’s life sciences sector in recent years.
The £1 billion project, part of a 10-year strategic partnership with the UK government, positions the country at the forefront of mRNA research and production. From the Harwell-based facility, Moderna will be able to supply millions of doses of vaccines for seasonal viruses such as COVID-19, flu and RSV, while also helping to prepare Britain for future pandemics.
Crucially, the centre will give the UK the capacity to manufacture up to 250 million doses a year in a health emergency. It also brings around 150 highly skilled jobs to the region and promises long-term collaborations with NHS partners, universities and regulators.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting hailed the opening as a “pivotal moment” in Britain’s health and innovation landscape. “Life sciences are a great British success story,” he said, adding that marrying Moderna’s technological strength with the “brilliance of our NHS” would accelerate the shift from treatment to prevention in healthcare.
Science Minister Lord Vallance echoed those sentiments, calling mRNA “a prime example of the opportunity we want to grasp”. He said the partnership offered both life-saving treatments and economic growth, underscoring why the UK remained a global destination for life sciences investment.
The Harwell centre will play a central role in developing mRNA therapies beyond infectious disease, with work underway on cancer vaccines and other emerging treatments. RNA technology, once considered niche, has gained mainstream recognition for its adaptability and speed of development during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Darius Hughes, Moderna’s UK general manager, said the new site was built at “record speed” and credited government support as instrumental. “With the facility now open and operational, we’re proud to be the first company to have established a UK-based mRNA manufacturing capability to support NHS seasonal vaccination programmes,” he said.
The US firm was among the first to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine during the global crisis, and it has since become one of the largest sponsors of clinical trials in Britain. Its continuing investment covers postgraduate research, NHS-linked innovation pathways, and broader backing for the UK’s clinical trials infrastructure.
Professor Susan Hopkins, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said the facility strengthened the nation’s ambitions under the so-called 100 Days Mission – a pledge to develop vaccines against new health threats within three months. “It will open doors to new vaccine products, helping support the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and focus on prevention,” she said.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which played a pivotal role in approving COVID-19 vaccines, helped bring the Oxfordshire facility to operational readiness. Chief executive Lawrence Tallon said the centre reflected “robust regulation enabling innovation”, pointing to the UK’s legacy as the first nation to authorise mRNA vaccines during the pandemic.
Beyond pandemic preparedness, the new site is expected to boost Britain’s economic ambitions. The government has launched a £50 million Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund to attract large-scale projects exceeding £100 million. Officials say this will reinforce the UK’s global standing and unlock further private investment.
Britain’s life sciences sector, valued at £100 billion and employing over 300,000 people, is seen as one of the eight core industries earmarked in the government’s industrial strategy to drive growth over the coming decade. Recent deals include BioNTech’s £1 billion UK investment and Prologis’s £3 billion into the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
The OxCam corridor – home to Oxford, Cambridge, and now Moderna’s Harwell hub – already generates over £40 billion in GDP annually. Analysts say it could contribute an additional £78 billion to the economy by 2035 if fully developed.
For Moderna, the Oxfordshire centre signals more than just bricks and mortar. It represents a commitment to embed itself in the UK’s scientific ecosystem, drawing on its universities, skills base, and the NHS’s unique position as both healthcare provider and research engine.
As Mr Hughes put it: “This mission-driven collaboration strengthens the UK’s pandemic preparedness and is a win-win-win for patients, for government, and for the life sciences sector.”
The government hopes the opening of Moderna’s Innovation and Technology Centre will reassure the public that lessons from the pandemic are being acted upon. By marrying global biotechnology expertise with homegrown strengths, ministers believe Britain can secure both health resilience and long-term economic advantage.
Whether tackling seasonal flu, preparing for the next pandemic, or pushing the boundaries of cancer therapy, Moderna’s Harwell base stands as a tangible marker of Britain’s ambition to remain a life sciences powerhouse.
