The world is feverishly searching for a vaccine against COVID-19. So is Oxford University. Novasep will produce the active ingredients for that Oxford vaccine at its Seneffe site.
Of the 120 or so potential vaccines currently under development worldwide, the one from the British university in Oxford is currently the furthest along in the testing phase. Depending on the clinical results, it is set to come to market in the course of 2021. The university is collaborating with the French pharmaceutical company Novasep and the Swedish-British biopharma giant AstraZeneca. The former is the European market leader in the production of the active substance, the so-called viral vectors, while the latter is permitted to market the vaccine. The technology for these viral vectors has been successfully applied before, namely for the SARS-2 vaccine. France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have joined forces and have already ordered 300 million doses of the Oxford vaccine to supply the European market.
Of the ten sites Novasep has in three countries, Seneffe's site has been selected for its biotechnological excellence and its ability to quickly deploy additional manpower. The deal is expected to create about 100 jobs, on top of 1,500 already by now.