Cell Therapy Centre Located in Capital

A new centre to support the development and commercialisation of cell therapies and advanced therapeutics, as well as the underpinning technologies for manufacturing, quality control, safety and efficiency is to be located in London.

The Technology and Innovation Centre in Cell Therapy will receive £10 million per annum (up to £50 million over the next five-year period) funding from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) in collaboration with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The capital was chosen forthe Technology and Innovation Centre in Cell Therapy due to its rich cluster of hospitals and clinical infrastructure, logistics, universities, talent and its reputation as an international business hub with proximity to the supporting financial sector.

TSB Chief executive Iain Gray said: “The cell therapy industry is expected to be worth £3.1 billion by 2014 with even greater growth predicted beyond that. With an established technology and innovation centre in Cell Therapy, the UK will be ideally positioned to gain a substantial share of this young industry due to its leading position in the science of
stem cells and regenerative medicine, its supportive regulatory environment, the NHS as a potential lead market, access to mature capital markets and established pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and blood transfusion industry sectors”.

Joint chair of the interim steering group, Ian Shott said: “There are many internationally recognised factors that make the UK the right environment for research in Cell Therapy. The centre will play a critical role in the successful commercial development of these therapies.” Direct contractswith UK business will also form a significant part of
the overall funding for the centre which will also be well positioned to secure funding from competitive research and development grants including EU funding.