The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has announced a £20m investment to build a “Biologics Factory of the Future” scheduled to open in 2017.
A £10m portion of the funding has been awarded by Tees Valley Unlimited Local Enterprise Partnership, as part of Local Growth Fund and their Growth Deal.
The factory will facilitate the development and testing of medicine manufacturing technologies that can be applied in emerging stratified and personalised therapeutic supply chains.
The facility will be located next to CPI’s £38m National Biologics Manufacturing Centre at Central Park Darlington, which is set to open next year.
The investment is part of the Government’s £379m Local Growth Fund programme, to create jobs and foster economic growth in the area.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: “This historic deal means real change for the North East, with plans to attract new business to the area, drive innovation and invest in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing”.
Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership works alongside Government to identify the strategic importance of personalised medicine to the UK.
The delivery of treatments to patients is changing from a “one size fits all” to an individual approach, which will have a major impact on the existing medicines supply chain.
CEO of CPI, Nigel Perry said: “The new facility will significantly increase the UK’s manufacturing capability in biologics, keeping us ahead in the global race and strengthening the UK’s position as the location of choice for life sciences companies.”
Chris Dowle, director of Biologics at CPI said: “Any new industry changes rapidly in the early stages of its growth. If the UK is to lead and exploit the significant advances from the investment in biologics research made already, it will need to continue to develop its manufacturing processes.
“This will create value and bring long term benefits to the Tees Valley through creating high value manufacturing jobs in a high growth industry.”
Stephen Catchpole of Tees Valley Unlimited said: “This is an important and exciting announcement for Tees Valley as it further strengthens the area’s position at the forefront and cutting edge of the biomedical industry.
“It will complement and enhance the neighbouring National Biologics Manufacturing Centre and reaffirms how attractive our Enterprise Zone is to globally significant schemes.”
