Cell Therapy Catapult Welcomes Planning Decision For Manufacturing Centre

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Cell Therapy Catapult has welcomed the decision by Stevenage Borough Council to grant planning permission to construct its £55 million large-scale GMP manufacturing centre.

The 7200m² manufacturing centre, which is expected to open in 2017, will be managed by the Cell Therapy Catapult and will be used for manufacture of products for late phase clinical trials and commercial supply of advanced therapeutic medicinal products including cell and gene therapies.

The facility is expected to create up to 150 jobs and its position on the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst campus will provide additional inward investment from global companies, as well as support the SME biotech and life sciences companies based in the UK and will complement the existing UK capability.

Keith Thompson, CEO of the Cell Therapy Catapult, said: “I am delighted that Stevenage Borough Council has granted permission to create a centre that will advance the industry into becoming a world leader in advanced therapy development and commercialisation. The large-scale GMP manufacturing centre will provide global scientific and medical communities with the assistance they need to turn research into products that have the potential to address many unmet medical needs.”

In its 2013 survey of the UK’s manufacturing capability, the Cell Therapy Catapult identified Manufacturing and Supply Chain as one of the barriers to the translation of research into commercially viable products. The UK is strongly positioned for early clinical phase manufacturing and the large-scale GMP manufacturing centre will help in growing a UK based global industry that will have a direct impact on healthcare.

--ENDS--

Notes to Editors

About the Cell Therapy Catapult

The Cell Therapy Catapult was established in 2012 as an independent centre of excellence to advance the growth of the UK cell and gene therapy industry, by bridging the gap between scientific research and full-scale commercialisation. With more than 100 employees focusing on cell and gene therapy technologies, we work with our partners in academia and industry to ensure these life-changing therapies can be developed for use in health services throughout the world. We offer leading-edge capability, technology and innovation to enable companies to take products into clinical trials and provide clinical, process development, manufacturing, regulatory, health economics and market access expertise. We aim to make the UK the most compelling and logical choice for UK and international partners to develop and commercialise these advanced therapies. Regenerative medicine is one of the UK government’s eight great technologies that support UK science strengths and business capabilities. The Cell Therapy Catapult works with Innovate UK. For more information go to ct.catapult.org.uk or visit www.gov.uk/innovate-uk.