The Cell Therapy Catapult, a center of excellence funded by Innovate UK to support cell therapy organizations, has received approval from the Stevenage Borough Council in Hertfordshire, England to grant planning permission to construct its £55 million ($86 million) large-scale GMP manufacturing center.

The 7,200 square meter manufacturing center, which is expected to open in 2017, will be managed by the Cell Therapy Catapult and will be used for the manufacture of products for late-phase clinical trials and commercial supply of advanced therapeutic medicinal products, including cell and gene therapies.

The facility is expected to create up to 150 jobs and will be located on the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst campus.

In its 2013 survey of the UK's manufacturing capability, the Cell Therapy Catapult identified manufacturing and supply chain as one of the barriers to the translation of research into commercially viable products, and the center seeks to address that need.

The Cell Therapy Catapult was established in 2012. It is part of a family of Catapults, which are not-for profit, independent centers that connect businesses with the UK’s research and academic communities. Each Catapult specializes in a different area of technology but they all offer innovative facilities and expertise to enable businesses and researchers to collaboratively solve key problems and develop new products and services on a commercial scale. IT is supported by Innovate UK, the operating name of the Technology Strategy Board, the UK’s innovation agency.

Source: Cell Therapy Catapult