The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved Moderna’s mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 for use under Regulation 174. The temporary authorisation permits the supply of the vaccine in Great Britain and is based upon the advice of the UK Commission on Human Medicines.
“We appreciate the confidence shown by the UK MHRA in COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna with this decision, which marks an important step forward in the global fight against COVID-19,” said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. “I want to thank the MHRA and the Commission on Human Medicines’ reviewers for their tireless efforts. The authorisation of a product developed by Moderna is a significant milestone on the company’s 10-year journey, and I would like to thank all our colleagues that have helped us get to this point.”
The United Kingdom government has also exercised its option to purchase an additional 10 million doses of the vaccine, bringing its confirmed order commitment to 17 million doses. The first deliveries of the vaccine to the UK from Moderna’s non-US supply chain are expected to commence early in 2021.