£13 million backing fuels greener future for UK medicines manufacturing

A £13 million funding boost has been announced to support 14 pioneering projects aimed at reshaping how medicines are made in the UK - with a strong focus on sustainability, efficiency, and innovation.

Backed by Innovate UK and the Department of Health and Social Care, the latest phase of the Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme is targeting cleaner, smarter pharmaceutical production. From greener gene therapy platforms to AI-powered process optimisation, the selected projects are united by a common goal: reducing the environmental footprint of medicine manufacturing while enhancing access to life-saving treatments.

Projects funded through this round range from the cultivation of daffodils in controlled environments to produce galanthamine for Alzheimer’s therapies, to technologies enabling antibodies to remain stable without refrigeration, potentially transforming global drug distribution and reducing reliance on energy-intensive cold chains.

Other initiatives focus on replacing metal catalysts with greener alternatives, improving solvent monitoring through thermal sensors, developing digital twins to streamline personalised medicine production, and using biocatalysts and AI to accelerate and clean up manufacturing pipelines.

Dr Stella Peace, Interim Executive Chair at Innovate UK, said the funded collaborations are “pivotal to improving the way we make medicines - not just for today, but for future generations.”

This investment follows an earlier seed-funding round, which awarded £1.3 million to 15 early-stage proposals to build partnerships and lay the groundwork for large-scale projects. Together, both rounds aim to accelerate the development of breakthrough technologies that address key challenges in pharmaceutical production across three focus areas: green chemistry, circular manufacturing, and resource efficiency.

The funding forms part of the wider VPAG Investment Programme - a joint industry-government effort to drive innovation and sustainability across the UK’s life sciences sector.

Science Minister Lord Vallance highlighted the broader impact: “By investing in technologies that cut waste and boost efficiency, we’re not only helping the environment, but we’re also supporting jobs, driving growth, and reinforcing the UK’s role as a global leader in life sciences.”

Minister of State Karin Smyth added that the programme “underlines our commitment to cleaner, more efficient medicine manufacturing that supports our net zero targets while securing the medicines patients rely on.”

The full list of funded projects spans a broad range of technologies and organisations, from small biotech startups to established industry leaders - all contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future for UK healthcare.

More information online