Oxford Biomedica - COVID-19 vaccine collaboration agreement

Oxford Biomedica (OXB) has signed a five-year collaboration agreement with the Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC), a non-profit organisation established as the UK’s response to emerging infectious diseases. The agreement focuses on the scale up and GMP manufacture of the adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate AZD1222 (previously ChAdOx1 nCoV-19), which is in a Phase II/III study. Initial data from the precursory Phase I/II study are expected in Q320. AstraZeneca is now responsible for the global development, manufacture and distribution of the vaccine and in May signed a one-year clinical and commercial supply agreement with OXB for multiple batches expected in 2020. Our OXB forecasts and valuation of £709m are unchanged.