A group led by Teesside-based Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has secured a £6.2m Government cash boost to help UK firms develop new biologic treatments - creating 10 jobs in Darlington.
The funds will help the UK biotech consortium - made up of six organisations including CPI - to overcome some of the biggest “shortcomings” that currently exist in the biologics supply chain - and help keep costs down for patients.
Business Secretary Vince Cable, who was visiting businesses on Teesside today, said the project would “deliver sizeable benefits” to Teesside and boost jobs.
Biologics are medicines that come from plants or other biological sources.
The UK biotech consortium has been handed the cash from the Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) to support the development and manufacture of novel biologic treatments.
A further 13 UK jobs will be created - and 174 safeguarded - by the project, over the next seven years.
The work carried out by the consortium “will help ensure the continued delivery of cost effective therapies to patients” according to CPI.
The project is a joint bid with five other UK based organisations including UCB Celltech and Lonza Biologics.
Dr Cable said: “While there is much to celebrate about British manufacturing, it is clear that our supplier base has been eroded over the last thirty years. Reversing this will boost exports and help safeguard UK jobs. Our targeted interventions have helped revive the great British manufacturing sector.
“The benefits of stronger manufacturing supply chains will be felt across the whole economy – new cutting-edge technologies, a more highly skilled work force and improved productivity will boost growth and jobs across the country.
“The biologics supply chain project will deliver sizeable benefits to the manufacturing supply chain in Redcar and Cleveland, boosting local jobs, and that is why I’m pleased to award it funding.”
Dr Chris Dowle, Director of Biologics at CPI said “We are delighted to have received the government’s support on this project. The consortium of companies behind this project is well-equipped to streamline the development process of biologics.
“Our goal is to find innovative ways to make the transition, while also ensuring affordability.”
As a key member of the Government’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, CPI will supply technical expertise, facilities, and project management through the newly created National Biologics Manufacturing Centre (NBMC) based at Darlington.
The consortium will achieve its aims by using cutting-edge technologies by fledgling companies from across the UK to target critical points in the biologics supply chain.
CPI is headquartered at the Wilton Centre, with other bases including Sedgefield.
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