French Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Launches Production in Scotland

Saint-Herblain based Valneva SE announced on January 28, 2021, it has commenced production of its inactivated, adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine candidate in parallel to the ongoing clinical studies to optimize the timeline for potential deliveries of the vaccine. VLA2001 is currently the only inactivated vaccine candidate in clinical trials against COVID-19 in Europe.

Additionally, Valneva confirmed the Phase 1/2 clinical study of 150 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 years is now fully enrolled and is expected to report initial results in April 2021.

Thomas Lingelbach, Valneva's CEO, said in a press statement, “We are extremely pleased to have achieved these two important milestones in such a short period of time. Our team in Scotland have done an amazing job to get manufacturing started so quickly."

"I would like to thank the UK Vaccines Taskforce and the National Institute for Health Research who played vital roles in the rapid recruitment and enrollment of the volunteers for the clinical study. We believe that our vaccine, assuming successful development, can make a major contribution in the UK and beyond.”

In September 2020, Valneva announced a partnership with the UK government to supply up to 190 million doses of its VLA2001 vaccine. Under this partnership agreement, if the vaccine development is successful, Valneva will provide the UK government with 60 million doses in the second half of 2021.

Valneva also announced in January 2021 it is in advanced discussions with the European Commission for the supply of up to 60 million doses of VLA2001.