The government has signed new deals with BioNTech/Pfizer and Valneva for access to 90 million doses of experimental COVID-19 vaccines.

Through its partnership with Valneva, for 60 million doses of its inactivated whole virus vaccine VLA2001, the government is expected to contribute to UK clinical studies costs and is negotiating funding to expand the firm's Scottish facility.

This increased manufacturing capacity could potentially supply up to 100 million vaccine doses to the UK and internationally, and will create high-skilled jobs in the local area.

Its deal with BioNTech and Pfizer, which are developing mRNA-based vaccines BNT162b1 and BNT162b2, sees 30 million doses of vaccine destined for UK shores.

In a separate deal with AZ, it has also secured access to one million doses of a treatment containing COVID-19-neutralising antibodies to protect those who cannot receive vaccines such as cancer and immunocompromised patients.

The deals are in addition to those already agreed for experimental vaccines being developed by  Oxford University, AstraZeneca and Imperial College London.

As such he government has now secured access to three different types of COVID-19 vaccines, “giving the UK the most likely chance of getting access to a safe and effective vaccine at the quickest speed”.

Consequently, the UK should have access to enough doses to vaccinate and protect priority groups identified, such as frontline health and social care workers and those at increased health risk, should these vaccines prove safe and effective.

“The hunt to find a vaccine is a truly global endeavour and we are doing everything we can to ensure the British public get access to a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible,” said business secretary Alok Sharma.

“This new partnership with some of the world’s foremost pharmaceutical and vaccine companies will ensure the UK has the best chance possible of securing a vaccine that protects those most at risk”.

The government has also launched the NHS COVID-19 vaccine research registry, a new online service that will facilitate public participation in future vaccine studies. The aim is to get 500,000 people signed up by October, to help accelerate efforts to discover a safe and workable vaccine.

“By signing up and participating in important clinical studies, together we can speed up the search for a vaccine and end the pandemic sooner,” Sharma noted.