Millions of Covid-19 vaccine doses are set to be manufactured in Scotland after a new jab was approved for use in the UK by regulators.
Scientists hope Livingston based Valneva’s jab will be more effective against different variants because it contains a whole copy of the virus.
Plans to hire 200 staff at the Scottish plant were thrown into doubt last year after Boris Johnson pulled the plug on a £1billion contract to buy 100million doses.
But jobs were saved after the Sunday Mail highlighted the scandal and the Scottish Government stepped in with a £20million grant.
Dr June Raine, chief executive of the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said the approval followed “a rigorous review of the safety, quality and effectiveness of this vaccine”.
It is hoped the Valneva’s Livingston base can go on to play a key role in developing and mass producing the vaccines for future pandemics.
CEO Thomas Lingelbach said: “We are extremely pleased with this new authorisation and would like to thank the MHRA for their trust and confidence.
“This is the only inactivated whole virus Covid-19 vaccine approved in the UK and this authorisation could pave the way for the availability of an alternative vaccine solution for the UK population.
“I would like to personally thank all the people who have been supporting us in this endeavour and our internal teams for all their hard work.”
Health Secretary Sajid Javid angered the company last September when he pulled out of an order for 100million doses, telling Parliament the vaccine “would not get approval”.
The move was later criticised by Dame Kate Bingham, the former chairwoman of the UK’s vaccine taskforce.
She said the decision was not only a blow to international pandemic efforts, but would dampen the UK’s resilience to future disease outbreaks.
The Scottish Government stepped in and provided £20million funding to secure the Scottish Valneva base.
In trials, blood results from volunteers who received the Valneva jab had high levels of neutralising antibodies against the pandemic virus.
The Scottish Government welcomed the approval.
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