Wockhardt signs partnership with UK Government to fill-finish COVID-19 vaccine

Wockhardt has entered into an agreement with the UK Government to fill-finish COVID-19 vaccines. The manufacturing will be undertaken at CP Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Wockhardt based in Wrexham, North Wales.

As per the terms of the agreement, 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 spinout company, Vaccitech and licensed by AstraZeneca.

Dr Habil Khorakiwala, Founder Chairman of Wockhardt emphasised, “We are proud to be collaborating with the UK Government to make vaccines available and the arrangement brings in a huge sense of purpose and pride, it upholds our ongoing commitment to fight against such a pandemic of global human importance.”

Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Government of UK said, “Ensuring the UK has the capability to research, develop and manufacture a safe and effective vaccine is critical in our fight against coronavirus.  Today we have secured additional capacity to manufacture millions of doses of multiple COVID-19 candidates, guaranteeing the supply of vaccines we need to protect people across the UK rapidly and in large numbers.”

Speaking about the contract Ravi Limaye, MD, Wockhardt UK said, “We have a sophisticated sterile manufacturing facility and a highly skilled workforce.  We expect 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 in order to guarantee the supply of vaccines required to fight COVID-19 in the UK.

Dr Murtaza Khorakiwala, Managing Director and Global CEO of Wockhardt said, “The arrangement with the UK Government for manufacturing vaccines for COVID-19 showcases our global strength in world-class sterile injectable facilities and capacity.”

Kate Bingham, Chair of UK Vaccines Task Force said, “We have made significant progress in securing a diverse portfolio of potential vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, adding a fourth vaccine candidate from GSK and Sanofi last week.  However, discovering a successful vaccine is only part of the solution, we also need to be able to manufacture it.  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.”