The government has launched a new Pandemic Preparedness Partnership (PPP) to save lives from future diseases and prevent another global pandemic.

The PPP, chaired by the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, will advise the UK G7 Presidency on how to meet the Prime Minister’s ambition to cut the time to develop and deploy high quality vaccines for new diseases from 300 to 100 days.

The public-private partnership will bring together industry, international organisations and leading experts, providing recommendations for delivering ambitious targets to more quickly develop vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics through greater global co-operation on research and development, manufacturing, clinical trials and data-sharing.

The £16 million investment will fund global vaccine manufacturing capacity and critical research and development to rapidly respond to the threat of new strains, supporting the development of new variant-specific vaccines.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The Covid pandemic has shaken the world but united us in our determination to ensure no disease has such an impact in the future. As G7 President, the UK is determined to work with our partners to build back better from coronavirus and strengthen global preparedness for future pandemics. This new expert group will drive our efforts in the years ahead to protect people everywhere from new diseases and to save lives.”