UK technology innovation organisation CPI has today opened its Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC) at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) in Renfrewshire, bringing 100 new jobs and an initial estimated £200m of investment to the region.
The centre - which aims to accelerate solutions in medicine development and manufacturing - has been supported by £88m from public and private partners.
Its ‘grand challenge’ business model follows the UK life sciences strategy roadmap, combining ideas from the pharmaceutical and technology sectors to help tackle issues such as increasing the pace and personalisation of medicine production and enhancing sustainability across manufacturing processes.
The centre is situated next to the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, in the heart of AMIDS. It has been developed through a collaboration between CPI and 23 partner organisations from across the pharma sector, business, academia and government. These include the University of Strathclyde, Scottish Enterprise, and UK Research and Innovation, alongside pharmaceutical firms AstraZeneca and GSK.
Other partners include Pfizer, Novartis and Alnylam, as well as business advisers PwC, and technology firms Siemens and Applied Materials.
Scottish Enterprise contributed £16m towards the facility.
CPI leads the centre, providing skills training in advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing roles for the facility’s Renfrewshire-based scientists, technicians, engineers and apprentices.
New technology and manufacturing solutions developed between CPI and pharmaceutical companies based at the centre should help the industry become more productive and sustainable.
The MMIC is Good Manufacturing Practice regulated, taking on many of the start-up risks involved in drug development, such as compliance with regulatory requirements for the development of new technologies.
CPI already has links in Scotland and recently appointed Scottish business leaders Jackie Waring, chair of AccelerateHER, and Myrtle Dawes, director of the Net Zero Solution Centre, to its board.
Dave Tudor, director of medicines manufacturing, biologics and quality at CPI, said: “The facility we have built here in Renfrewshire is the first example of a consistent and concerted effort from the pharma industry to collaborate.
“Our grand challenge business model aims to bring key players together to accelerate solutions to key challenges including how we reduce waste and lower the industry’s carbon footprint through better, more efficient manufacturing processes.
“We want to drive strong research in areas like cell and gene therapy, RNA, and monoclonal antibodies and deliver digital solutions, better technology and advanced supply chain mindsets to support greater investment and growth in biological manufacturing.
“The next phase is about inviting companies into the new centre so they can benefit from the existing technologies developed as a result of our grand challenges.”
The Centre is currently delivering four such grand challenges:
- Producing oral solid dosage medicines more efficiently using continuous direct compression.
- Delivering medicines to patients with minimal waste and maximum speed, using ‘just in time’ manufacture and supply capabilities.
- Overcoming barriers to the scalable, affordable and sustainable manufacture of oligonucleotides.
- Standardising digital manufacturing technology to enable pharma 4.0.
Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise Ivan McKee said: “As a key part of Scotland’s economic recovery, the centre will produce benefits not only for the economy, but for the health of the nation and will put Scotland at the forefront of advanced medicines manufacturing.”
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal at the University of Strathclyde, added: “This new facility will help to develop the technologies, systems, processes and products that will transform pharmaceutical manufacturing in this country and significantly boost the local economy.
“Scotland’s global reputation for advanced manufacturing is growing at pace, and the exciting Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre investment will further enhance this.”
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