On monday british prime minister Boris Johnson said that Serum Institute of india is set to invest in facilities in britain and manufacture inoculations in the UK in future. The company is going to invest $334 million in the UK, said Johnson's Downing Street office. The project would include a sales office, "clinical trials, research and development and possibly manufacturing of vaccines".

The Serum Institute of india (SII) is the world's largest vaccine maker by volume. It also has produced AstraZeneca coronavirus shots at lower cost. According to the reports, SII has also already begun phase one trials in the UK. It will be a one-dose nasal vaccine for coronavirus. Downing Street also said that this will create over 6,500 jobs.

Before the second wave, india was into exporting millions of SII-made AstraZeneca shots via the Covax scheme supplying poorer countries. As per the estimates, SII makes 60-70 million AstraZeneca doses per month, and is aiming for 100 million by July.


SII is located in pune, southeast of Mumbai. It is a production facility headed by 40-year-old chief executive Adar Poonawalla. Amid threats from higher officials of india, Poonawalla fled to london to join his wife and children.

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