UK pledges £210m to CEPI for Covid-19 vaccine development

Non-profit the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has received £210m from the UK Government to support efforts to develop a Covid-19 vaccine. This builds upon the £50m previously provided by the UK to CEPI.

The UK’s £210m contribution marks the largest contribution by any country to CEPI’s call for £2bn of Covid-19 funding. CEPI has also received funding from the governments of Germany, Norway, Denmark and Finland.

CEPI is currently funding eight projects attempting to create a vaccine against the Covid-19 pandemic. These include CureVac, Moderna, the University of Queensland, and a consortium from the Institut Pasteur.

The non-profit’s CEO Richard Hatchett said: "CEPI is extremely grateful for this substantial contribution from the UK Government.

"This decisive action and financial support from the UK Government comes at a pivotal moment for a world that is in crisis.

"The UK has a long history of global health leadership and, today, the UK is once again stepping up as a global leader in its support CEPI and our crucial work to accelerate the development of a vaccine against COVID-19.

"We face one of the greatest challenges humankind kind has faced in the last century: a disease that has spread globally, that is most dangerous to the most vulnerable members of our society, and that threatens our economic order and very way of life.

"Developing vaccines is the most cost-effective way to save lives and to neutralize the grave threat posed by COVID-19."

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "While our brilliant doctors and nurses fight coronavirus at home, this record British funding will help to find a vaccine for the entire world."

The country’s Secretary of State for International Development Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: "This UK Government support will be vital in efforts to find a coronavirus vaccine and treatments, which will ultimately help stop its spread around the world.

"We are backing experts, including in the UK, to find solutions as quickly as possible to this pandemic. This will ultimately help us to save lives in this country."

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