(Reuters) – The British government will invest up to 93 million pounds ($112 million) to accelerate construction of a new vaccines centre, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said on Saturday.

The funding will ensure the new centre opens in Summer 2021, a year ahead of schedule, the department said.

The Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC), which is currently under construction, is a key component of the government’s programme to ensure that once a coronavirus vaccine is available it can be rolled out quickly in mass quantities, the department said.

(Reporting by Roshan Abraham in Bengaluru; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

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