Construction and engineering company Sisk has been selected as the preferred bidder for the fit-out of Moderna’s new drug substance and manufacturing facility in Oxfordshire, England, UK. 

The Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) development, located at Harwell Science Campus, will comprise a research, development, and manufacturing facility. 

Harwell Science Campus is said to be the UK's premier science and innovation hub. 

The latest facility will provide the UK public with access to messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines for Covid-19 and potentially other respiratory health threats.  

Once complete, the MITC facility will have the capacity to produce up to 250 million vaccines annually in the event of a pandemic, strengthening the country's pandemic resilience strategy. 

Sisk Life Sciences, Data & Tech COO Donal McCarthy said: “Sisk is pleased to announce that we have won our first major life sciences project in the UK. We have a demonstrable track record of working with key US blue-chip clients in [the Republic of] Ireland and across Europe.  

“After some key appointments internally, we now have the capability to bring this skill set to the UK. We look forward to delivering a world-class facility for Moderna and growing our life sciences offering across the UK.” 

Construction on the site is already underway, with the facility expected to be operational in 2025, pending customary planning and regulatory approvals.  

Moderna MITC site head and Resilience Operations senior vice-president Nicolas Chornet said: “Construction of the MITC is well underway and we are delighted to collaborate with Sisk on this vital phase of the project.  

“Upon completion, the facility will leverage cutting-edge mRNA technology to develop innovative vaccines for the UK public and we look forward to contributing to the UK’s dynamic life science sector through the onshoring of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.”