LONDON, April 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
- Business Secretary Greg
Clark and Science Minister Sam Gyimah officially
opened
centre
- Centre will 'bridge the
gap' between scientific
research and commercialisation of the medicines
of the future
- Over £60 million of Industrial Strategy
investment is being used to
develop the new centre
Today, the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult's (CGT Catapult)
unique cell and gene therapy manufacturing centre was officially
opened by the Business Secretary Greg
Clark and Science Minister Sam
Gyimah.
Backed by over £60 million of UK Government investment from its
Industrial Strategy, the centre will support and develop the
rapidly growing global cell and gene therapy industry in the
United Kingdom whilst
demonstrating the government's modern Industrial Strategy in
action.
The Stevenage-based centre,
operating to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards for
clinical product manufacturing, will provide the global Advanced
Therapeutics industry with the infrastructure to develop
manufacturing capability and systems for large-scale cell and gene
therapy clinical studies, and accelerate commercialisation.
The centre will also supply the network of world-first, UK-based
Advanced Therapies Treatment Centres (ATTCs) formed as part of the
government's investment of £146 million through its Industrial
Strategy Challenge Fund in medicines manufacturing. By providing
access to the expertise, skills, facilities and equipment needed to
help organisations develop new, sophisticated technologies and
systems for large-scale manufacturing, the new centre can help
accelerate a company's growth.
"Through our Industrial Strategy we are determined to boost
innovation, create new highly skilled jobs and use government
investment to change people's lives for the better," said Business
Secretary Greg Clark. "This unique
new centre will bring together our expertise in medicines
manufacturing with our world-beating science and research base to
create revolutionary treatments that fight diseases like cancer and
save lives.
"We are determined to make the UK the most innovative nation in
the world through our Industrial Strategy and its Grand Challenges
which is why we are investing a record £7 billion in R&D by
2021, the highest increase in 40 years, and have committed to
investing 2.4% of GDP on R&D by 2027."
Cell and gene therapies offer revolutionary treatments which
repair, replace, regenerate and re-engineer genes, cells and
tissues to restore normal function or enhance their ability to
fight diseases, like cancer. By enabling collaborators at the
centre to turn their cell and gene therapy innovations into
commercially viable new medicines, the CGT Catapult is supporting
the routine delivery of these therapies to hospitals, clinics and
patients globally.
"We are thrilled to open the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
manufacturing centre with the Business Secretary Greg Clark and our initial collaborators
Autolus, Cell Medica, AdaptImmune, Freeline, and Thermo Fisher
Scientific," said Keith Thompson,
Chief Executive Officer, CGT Catapult. "These companies have
international activities and choices, and have chosen to develop
European-based manufacturing in the UK. The manufacturing centre is
integral to the development of a thriving global cell and gene
therapy industry. This is an area of medicine that has shown
potential for decades and we now need new manufacturing technology
like never before. The centre is a major statement of intent and a
springboard for industry in its global development. The launch of
this important facility pushes the agenda forward and accelerates
the timeframe for bringing these living medicines to patients."
Located within the rapidly growing European cell and gene
therapy cluster at the Stevenage BioScience Catalyst, the
manufacturing centre, alongside wider CGT Catapult initiatives,
reinforces the UK Government's ambition to drive the UK life
sciences industry forward faster, more efficiently and with
stronger returns.
"This new cell and gene centre represents our ambitious
Industrial Strategy in action," said Science Minister Sam Gyimah. "By bringing together universities
and businesses we can not only create the high value jobs we need
but also develop potentially lifesaving treatments. The UK is a
world leader in science, research and innovation and through our
commitment to invest 2.4% of GDP on R&D by 2027, we are
determined to seize the opportunities of tomorrow and help build a
Britain fit for the future."
"The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult manufacturing centre is
a crucial component of the industrial strategy and part of the
leading-edge healthcare technology challenge fund," said Dr
Ian Campbell, Interim
Executive-Chair Designate for Innovate UK. "This world-leading
centre will bring manufacturing of pioneering treatments
closer to patients and will complement the new Advanced Therapy
Treatment Centres. Innovate UK has been investing in advanced
therapeutics since 2009 and is proud to support this centre as it
continues its mission to bring together enterprise and innovation
for the benefit of society and the economy."
For more information please visit ct.catapult.org.uk or visit
http://www.gov.uk/innovate-uk.
For further information, please contact:
FTI Consulting for the CGT Catapult:
Con Franklin +44(0)7817-573-659 /
con.franklin@fticonsulting.com
Michael Trace +44(0)203-319-5674
/ michael.trace@fticonsulting.com
SOURCE Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult