GSK and Novavax team up on COVID vaccine production in UK
Production Partners
The UK seemed to be in good shape when drugmaker AstraZeneca was one of the companies leading the effort to produce COVID-19 vaccines, but the campaign slowed down when AstraZeneca’s major manufacturing partner, the Serum Institute of India, stopped exporting because of a coronavirus wave. Now, the UK’s other pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline, has agreed to help produce 60 million doses of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine from a fill-finish site in Barnard Castle, reported Fierce Pharma. (https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/gsk-novavax-vaccine-deal-helps-relieve-u-k-s-dependence-astrazeneca)
GSK will help to produce Novavax’s recombinant Covid-19 vaccine, guaranteeing fill-finish capacity for 60 million doses of the shot to be used in the UK as part of a deal with the Maryland biotech and the UK government, as announced recently. The drug company will hold capacity at its Barnard Castle facility in northeast England beginning as early as May with tech transfer ready to begin immediately. The final terms of the deal have not been announced, reported Endpoints. (https://endpts.com/glaxosmithkline-offers-fill-finish-capacity-to-novavax-for-uk-supply-of-covid-19-vaccine/)
Novavax has done business in this part of the U.K. In Billingham, Fujifilm Diosynth does bulk substance manufacturing for the Novavax vaccine.
The shot has not obtained emergency authorization anywhere, but after posting strong results in clinical trials, including against the British variant of the coronavirus, it should be approved for emergency use.
While Britain has vaccinated more than 30 million people, AstraZeneca supply problems and other issues have slowed the process down. Thus, the UK has looked for other providers. The country’s Vaccine Taskforce helped to broker the deal between Novavax and GSK.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “I’m delighted by GSK’s investment, which shows the strength of U.K. manufacturing and will further boost our vaccine rollout. We remain on track to offer a first jab to all over 50s by 15 April and all adults by the end of July.”
The deal enables Novavax to line up more manufacturing capability in Europe. Novavax has been working “through some pandemic-related raw materials supply shortages.” Additionally, Novavax has been lining up US manufacturers for its vaccine. There is an agreement with Jubilant HollisterStier, which will provide fill-finish services for the Novavax shot from its plant in Spokane, Washington.
Novavax has committed to 60 million doses of its shot to the UK as part of a deal signed last year. Novavax’s contract partner, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, is producing the antigen component of the shot at its UK site in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees.
GSK is trying to be as involved in Covid-19 as possible. GSK is currently working on a partnered vaccine with French drugmaker Sanofi that is cycling through a Phase II test, and has chased antibody therapeutics as a solo project and in partnership with Vir Biotechnology. GSK has also promised to supply as many as 100 million doses of a potential mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine from German firm CureVac.
Late last week, GSK and Vir filed for an emergency use authorization with the FDA for the antibody, dubbed VIR-7831, to treat mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in people at risk for progression to hospitalization or death. The application was based on interim Phase III data showing the drug posted an 85 percent reduction in hospitalization or death compared with placebo. The trial’s Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended stopping enrollment because of the early sign of efficacy, and GSK claimed that the antibody may be effective against emerging variants.