Call for information/EOI for neutralising antibodies.

  • Department of Health and Social Care

F14: Notice for changes or additional information

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-030768

Published 10 December 2021, 9:39am



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Department of Health and Social Care

39 Victoria Street

London

SW1H 0EU

Contact

Amjad Kazmi

Email

amjad.kazmi@dhsc.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKI32 - Westminster

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care

Buyer's address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health-and-social-care


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Call for information/EOI for neutralising antibodies.

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 33600000 - Pharmaceutical products

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

DHSC invites suppliers to submit an EOI on neutralising antibodies andbinding site, clinical trials on efficacy, safetyfor preventing or treating COVID-19infection, dose&frequency, formats/routesfor administering to patients, monitoringadverse affects, efficacy against SARSCoV-2 variants, supply availability for 2021-2022 and future years and plans forregulatory approval in the UK, if not yetapproved.


Section six. Complementary information

six.6) Original notice reference

Notice number: 2021/S 000-024806


Section seven. Changes

seven.1) Information to be changed or added

seven.1.2) Text to be corrected in the original notice

Section number

II.1.4.1

Place of text to be modified

Short description

Instead of
Text

DHSC invites suppliers to submit an EOI on neutralising antibodies and

binding site, clinical trials on efficacy, safety

for preventing or treating COVID-19

infection, dose&frequency, formats/routes

for administering to patients, monitoring

adverse affects, efficacy against SARSCoV-

2 variants, supply availability for 2021-

2022 and future years and plans for

regulatory approval in the UK, if not yet

approved.

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Text

The Department of Health and Social Care is seeking to progress additional market engagement to identify neutralising antibodies or similar acting molecules, that are effective for treatment and prophylaxis, though passive immunisation, against SARS-CoV-2 for patients in hospital, or community setting. We would welcome specific information on the product's efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the Omicron variant.

The market engagement will be in the form of a webinar held on Thursday 16th December 2021. Details for accessing the event can be found further down. Suppliers are invited to register their interest in this Prior Information Notice by completing a questionnaire downloaded from the Atamis platform. We ask that suppliers complete the questionnaire by 13:00 on Thursday 23rd December 2021. Suppliers will not need to complete a questionnaire to attend the webinar.

Section number

II.2.4.1

Place of text to be modified

Description of procurement

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Text

The Department is interested in engaging with the emerging market through expressions of interest prior to the publication of a contract notice to find

innovative neutralising antibody COVID-19 therapies that could inform the specification of requirements,

conditions of contract and commercial model. Further details of how suppliers may engage with the Department

are included in section VI.3) (additional information) at the end of this notice.

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Text

The Therapeutics Taskforce is responsible for the end-to-end provision of treatments for COVID-19 in the UK, from the initial identification of potential therapeutics, to trialing treatments as part of an advanced programme of clinical trials, and their eventual deployment at scale to the patient population. These safe and effective treatments are vital for lessening the severity and impact of COVID-19 in individuals and communities. The Taskforce is seeking to gather information in respect of neutralising antibodies that can be deployed in a hospital or community setting. Therapeutics suppliers must provide evidence of their therapies' potential efficacy and progress in trials, monitoring and safety.

The market engagement will take the form of a webinar held on Thursday 16th December 2021. The webinar will take interested suppliers through the requirement outlined in this Prior Information Notice and will provide an opportunity for suppliers to ask questions. To sign up to join the webinar please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/prior-information-notice-antiviral-drug-supply-for-covid-19-webinar-tickets-225298643307 We are inviting suppliers to register their interest in the PIN by downloading a questionnaire via the Atamis platform, and sending a completed version to http://health.atamis.co.uk by 13:00 on 23rd December 2021. Responses to this questionnaire will be kept in confidence and will inform the Taskforce's market research. Suppliers are not required to fill out a questionnaire before attending the webinar. Any information shared in the webinar will be shared with all suppliers via the Atamis platform after the market engagement period associated with this PIN closes on Thursday 23rd December 2021.

seven.2) Other additional information

This Prior Information Notice has been issued to alert the market for the possible procurement of neutralising antibodies. Suppliers should submit expressions of interest.

Interested parties will be able to submit any questions regarding this PIN via Atamis. The Department welcomes discussions with interested parties on areas of interest including, (but not limited to):

- provision of a value for money solution for the UK tax payer;

- creating mechanisms (including but not limited to agreements) to secure long-term, guaranteed supply contracts with 'step-in' rights in the event of future pandemics.

For further information or any enquiries on the above please contact amjad.kazmi@dhsc.gov.uk

Disclaimer:

This notice is for information only, and the Department reserves the right to supplement and vary the conduct of any prior engagement process. Where this occurs, the Department will act transparently and treat all interested parties who have expressed an interest equally.

The Department reserves the right to discontinue the proposed tendering process and not award the contract. The information contained in this notice, including information relating to the nature and scope of the Department's requirements, the service classification of this requirement or the list of CPV codes, is only indicative of the Department's current thinking and is neither exhaustive nor binding. The Department reserves the right at its absolute discretion to amend it at the time of issue of any further notices or at any other time.

The publication of this notice in no way obliges the Department to commence with any competitive tender process. The Department is not and shall not be liable for any costs incurred by those expressing any interest in participating in the market engagement exercise advertised in this notice.