The government's Vaccine Taskforce has announced £10.65 million in funding to support the launch of an RNA vaccine innovation centre in Darlington.

The funding has been granted for CPI's RNA Centre of Excellence, which produces RNA material for clinical trials for vaccine development.

The centre is the only one in the UK able to develop and manufacture RNA vaccines and therapies.

Equipment and expertise will be provided to support the testing, scale-up and clinical production of RNA technologies.

Minister for Science and Investment Security Nusrat Ghani said: "The UK’s exceptional capabilities in Life Sciences were showcased on the world stage when we became the first nation globally to approve a working COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic.

"We are now committed to boosting these capabilities even further, ensuring we are thoroughly prepared for future health emergencies and remaining at the forefront of the development of new therapies. This is why we are making this significant investment in CPI’s brilliant RNA facility in Darlington, a site with the potential to make enormous homegrown breakthroughs in the fight against disease.

The centre will also play a role in future pandemic preparedness, with the government retaining priority access to the facility for up to 10 years.

The CPI has also established an RNA Training Academy at the centre, which provides interactive courses in RNA technology.