National Biologics Manufacturing Centre launched
The new centre will provide companies with open access facilities and expertise to help them develop, prove and commercialise new and improved processes and technologies for biologics manufacture.
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has officially launched the new £38 million National Biologics Manufacturing Centre in Darlington, Co. Durham. The new centre will provide companies with open access facilities and expertise to help them develop, prove and commercialise new and improved processes and technologies for biologics manufacture.
Biopharmaceuticals are medicines produced through biotechnology, which represent the cutting-edge The National Biologics Manufacturing Centre was announced in 2012 as part of the UK strategy for life science. The strategy outlined a vision for the UK to be a global leader in the life science sector. The £38 million investment was made by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills through InnovateUK.
Launching the new Centre, Jo Johnson MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science said: “We want the UK to be the best place in Europe to innovate which is why we have invested in this new Centre to capitalise on the North East’s expertise in medicines manufacturing and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in life sciences. As part of our successful Catapult network, the centre will bridge the gap between business and academia and help to turn great ideas into commercial reality.”
Steve Bagshaw, CEO of FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies said: “The National Biologics Manufacturing Centre will provide a valuable resource for the biologics sector in the UK. The centre will help the UK capture more of the expanding global market in high value, high quality manufacture of biologic medicines and make an important contribution to equipping the UK workforce to meet the challenges faced in this sector”.
Chris Dowle, Director of Biologics at CPI added: “CPI is supporting the commercialisation of research by promoting collaboration with industry across the supply chain, from research through to manufacture and clinic. Utilising the new Centre we will help companies to commercialise ideas and take them to market faster and with less risk. We are already underway with a number of projects which are helping UK companies prove their technologies in an industrially relevant environment.”
Ruth McKernan, Chief Executive of Innovate UK, said: “This new biologics manufacturing facility will be an important addition to CPI’s world-class capabilities in high value manufacturing. It will also work closely with our ground-breaking three healthcare Catapults and keep the UK at the forefront of a sector we have long excelled in.”
Related News
-
News Pharmaceutical Supply Chain People Moves
The latest appointments, promotions, and structural changes across the pharmaceutical supply chain.
-
News Merck KGaA to buy US biotech SpringWorks for US$3.9 billion
The German multinational pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA have signed a deal to buy US biotech company SpringWorks Therapeutics at an equity value of US$3.9 billion in a move to add rare cancer therapeutics to their pipelines.
-
News Cassava Sciences halts Alzheimer's drug trial after limited progress
Cassava Sciences have drawn a close to their investigations and development of the drug simufilam, which they intended to be used for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
-
News US FDA adds haemodialysis bloodlines to devices shortage list
On March 14, 2025, the US FDA published an open letter to healthcare providers citing continuing supply disruptions of haemodialysis bloodlines, an essential component of dialysis machines.
-
News Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock jumps as FDA approves non-opioid painkiller
UK-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals saw their stock shares soar as the US FDA signed off on the non-opioid painkiller Journavx, also known as suzetrigine, for patients with moderate to severe acute pain, caused by surgery, accidents, or injuries.
-
News Lessons from CPHI Milan 2024: Sunny Intervals for Pharma Manufacturing?
As the 2024 CPHI conference wrapped up in Milan, we caught up with L.E.K. Consulting – a global strategy consulting firm with deep expertise in pharma manufacturing – to discuss evolving market perspectives and business outlook. -
News US BIOSECURE Act passed by US House of Representatives
The controversial act, which has already impacted several foreign companies operating in the US, was passed by the House of Representatives on September 9, 2024. It is now headed for the US Senate before it can be signed into law by President Joe Biden... -
News Drug prices agreed upon as part of the US Inflation Reduction Act
The Inflation Reduction Act brought into constitution by the Biden administation in 2022, which proposed a drug price negotiation between the government and pharmaceutical companies, has reached it's first agreement.