A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction of CPI’s new £20 million Oligonucleotide Manufacturing Innovation Centre of Excellence in Renfrewshire.
The facility, which is due to be completed in 2025, will be located next to CPI’s existing Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland.
Tilbury Douglas is the main contractor on the project, with BakerHicks behind the design of the new facility.
Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, was joined by the UK minister of state for science, Lord Vallance, to mark the start of construction on the facility, which is said to represent a ‘transformative’ milestone in the UK’s capabilities for the manufacture of life-saving oligonucleotide therapies.
Oligonucleotides are short strands of DNA or RNA that can target the underlying drivers of disease, with the potential to provide treatments for otherwise untreatable diseases, from cancers to Alzheimer’s. With an expanding pipeline of oligonucleotide-based medicines on the horizon, this centre places the UK at the forefront of their development and manufacture.
The centre will pioneer sustainable manufacturing processes to produce oligonucleotides efficiently and support clinical manufacture. CPI said that it will also enhance the UK’s competitiveness in the global medicines manufacturing supply chain.
By establishing this UK-based capability, the centre will accelerate the pipeline of new oligonucleotide medicines, ensuring patients across the UK and globally gain faster access to these cutting-edge therapies, it added.
Jointly supported by UK and Scottish Governments through funding from the offfice for life sciences and Scottish Enterprise, the new centre will act as a catalyst for economic growth and collaboration, creating high-skilled jobs and helping to form an innovative medicines manufacturing cluster in Scotland.
To enable workforce development through the centre, the industry skills accelerator — a collaboration between CPI, Cogent Skills, and the Cell, and Gene Therapy Catapult — will deliver training programmes designed to equip both current sector professionals and new entrants with the skills needed to excel in oligonucleotide manufacturing.
John Swinney said, “This centre brings together life sciences and manufacturing – two of our most successful sectors. We know the life sciences sector is good for Scotland’s economy, but the medicines that will be made in Paisley will benefit people around the world by offering innovative and life-saving therapies with the potential to treat cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
“The Scottish Government contributed £10.275 million to this project through Scottish Enterprise. We did so because it reflects my commitment to transforming our approach to innovation by building new partnerships and driving collaboration between governments, industry and academic institutions.”
UK science minister, Lord Vallance, added, “Oligonucleotide therapies are set to be key medicines of the future and have huge potential to improve health outcomes for patients – tackling diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and more. This new centre of excellence is a strategic investment which will support economic growth and better healthcare: two of the missions at the heart of this Government’s Plan for Change.”
Frank Millar, CEO of CPI, commented, “The Oligonucleotide Manufacturing Innovation Centre of Excellence will ensure we can get life-saving therapies to patients quicker, supporting the health and wellbeing of people around the world. The centre demonstrates the UK’s leadership in advancing high-value manufacturing and healthcare innovation. By investing in the manufacturing technologies of tomorrow, we are not only strengthening the UK’s competitiveness on the global stage but bringing impact back into the regions where we operate, enhancing our ability to attract inward investment and creating high-skilled jobs.”
Barry O’Hagan, regional director – Scotland at Tilbury Douglas, commented, “Having collaborated with CPI on previous projects, we are proud to continue delivering innovative solutions with OMICE. This project reinforces our strong partnership and commitment to advancing the life sciences sector.”
Phil Shaw, MD – building north at Tilbury Douglas, added, “This groundbreaking is another step in expanding our footprint in the life sciences sector. Our expertise in delivering complex facilities aligns with the growing demand in this rapidly evolving market, and we look forward to further strengthening our position.”
