This podcast contains an interview with Texas A&M system chancellor John Sharp and WTAW's Bill Oliver, and comments from President Trump.

The Texas A&M university system's bio-manufacturing center is slated to start manufacturing a coronavirus vaccine candidate early next year.

FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDB), which is the A&M system's subcontractor, will mass produce the vaccine candidate for Novavax.

While a FUJIFILM plant in North Carolina has been manufacturing the vaccine candidate for clinical trials, bulk production will take place in College Station.

System chancellor John Sharp says the new federal task order is valued at about $265 million dollars.

FDB is accelerating $90 million dollars of expansion projects that began last November with the acquisition of new equipment to address the current pandemic and future emergencies.

President Trump made the announcement Monday afternoon from the FDB plant in North Carolina as part of an update on developing coronavirus vaccines and therapies.