THE Prime Minister visited the region today to take a tour of the facility where the Novavax vaccine will be manufactured.

Boris Johnson spent the morning at Fujifilm Diosynth’s BioCampus in Billingham where 60million doses of the Novavax coronavirus vaccine will be manufactured, if approved for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

The vaccine passed its UK clinical trial last month, the trials shown the vaccine to be 89.3 per cent effective in preventing coronavirus in participants, including against new UK variant.

It is hoped the medical regulator will give the jab the green-light in the next few months, with the vaccine being delivered in the second half of this year.

During the visit, the Prime Minister toured the Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies facilities where the antigen component (active ingredient) of Novavax’ NVX-CoV2373 COVID-19 vaccine will be manufactured as well as other life-impacting therapies.

The Northern Echo:

Fujifilm’s leading technical expertise in baculovirus systems and biopharmaceutical manufacturing excellence is contracted by Novavax to produce antigen for up to 180 million vaccine doses.

The Prime Minister toured the laboratories and manufacturing facilities and was explained the science and technology behind Fujifilm’s work by a small number of the site’s 850-strong workforce who are playing a crucial role in vaccine production.

Mr Johnson said:  “I was delighted to visit Fujifilm today, and hear from Paul Found, Sarah Maxfield, Abigail Tyerman, Jonathan Haigh and others about the work being done to manufacture the Novavax vaccine, currently in Phase 3 clinical trials. 

“If approved, Novavax will further strengthen our already record breaking vaccine rollout. The work of the team here to get this vaccine ready showcases some of the very best of British science and manufacturing. 

"I’m hugely proud of the efforts here at Fujifilm, as we all come together to beat this pandemic. I urge you all to keep up this vital work, helping to get those vaccines into arms and protecting our most vulnerable.”   

Paul Found, chief operating officer, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, UK, said:
“As we prepare for production, we were extremely honoured to host the Prime Minister at our state-of-the-art development and manufacturing facilities on Teesside.

"During the tour, the Prime Minister had great interest in seeing our science and technology at work, and speaking with a small number of our talented team who are working on the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine programme.

"The entire Fujifilm team feels a strong sense of pride that we are contributing to help address the pandemic.”

During the visit Mr Johnson said he was "optimistic" that he would be able to begin announcing the easing of restrictions when he sets out his “roadmap” out of lockdown in England on February 22.

The Northern Echo:

He said: “I’m optimistic, I won’t hide it from you. I’m optimistic, but we have to be cautious.”

He said his first priority remained opening schools in England on March 8 to be followed by other sectors.

“Our children’s education is our number one priority, but then working forward, getting non-essential retail open as well and then, in due course as and when we can prudently, cautiously, of course we want to be opening hospitality as well,” he said.

“I will be trying to set out as much as I possibly can in as much detail as I can, always understanding that we have to be wary of the pattern of disease. We don’t want to be forced into any kind of retreat or reverse ferret.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: "It was great to be able to show off Teesside and the amazing work our local scientists and businesses are doing to fight the coronavirus.

"The Novavax vaccine will be another weapon in our armoury against the Coronavirus and I was proud to be able to show the Prime Minister around the world-class manufacturing facility Fujifilm Diosynth has developed here and the Teesside vaccine it will produce.

“Teesside has a hugely talented and world leading bioscience sector and the fact the UK’s entire order of 60million doses of the Novavax vaccine will be produced here in Teesside, by local scientists, highlights the critical role our region is playing in the global fight against this horrendous virus.

“As a region Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool have an enviable reputation the world over as a centre of excellence when it comes to engineering, chemicals and processing, but now our hugely impressive bioscience sector is getting the praise it rightly deserves.

“Hopefully the vaccine will be given the go ahead by the MHRA very soon, and we can start getting the Teesside vaccine into as many arms across the country as possible.”

Following the visit, Alex Cunningham, Labour's MP for Stockton North said: "We are all pleased to celebrate the success of the vaccination programme and the new vaccine to be made at Billingham – but sadly the Prime Minister forgot his cheque book today and offered nothing for the 12500 extra people who have lost their jobs in the Tees Valley since March; nothing for the retail businesses in our high streets now on their knees; nothing to address the huge health inequalities in our area and nothing to address the fact that one in three children in our region live in poverty.

"The Prime Minister talks of levelling up – but has committed just £4 billion – a fraction of the money he is spending on the HS2 rail link or Crossrail in London – and that £4 billion has to stretch from Liverpool, through Manchester all the way through the North East to the Scottish border.

"If his government are serious about a levelling up agenda, they have got to do so much better than pay lip service and back it up with the resources we need."