UK Medicines Manufacturing Strives for Common Goal

A new Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership (MMIP) supported by the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) met for the first time in September with the aim of creating an attractive and innovation-driven environment to ensure UK competitiveness in medicines manufacturing.

The MMIP Steering Group is led by Ian McCubbin, GlaxoSmithKline Senior Vice President for the North America, Japan and Global Pharma Supply Chain. The initial work will be focused around industry needs across a number of priority areas, including the technology, fiscal, regulatory and skills environments, as well as promotion overseas of the UK’s strengths in medicines manufacturing.  

As a first step, the KTN is jointly resourcing a team with MMIP to help the sector more effectively navigate and draw on public investments and funding mechanisms that are already in place to drive UK competitiveness in medicines manufacturing.

The MMIP has been jointly established by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the BioIndustry Association (BIA). Alongside the KTN, organisations involved in the partnership include Actavis, AstraZeneca, Eisai, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, GlaxoSmithKline, Oxford BioMedica and Pfizer.

Sue Dunkerton, KTN Director for Health and Biotechnology, comments: “At the KTN we want to bring those with innovation challenges together with the businesses and researchers who have the talent and technology to develop viable solutions - being part of the MMIP will enable us to do that in support of the medicines manufacturing sector.”

McCubbin adds: “The UK has a strong foundation in manufacturing and it is vital that this partnership works to differentiate, defend and grow the existing industry base, so that we continue to be a major export earner and create opportunities to cement the UK’s position as a world-leading centre for medicines manufacturing. For more information about the KTN visit: www.ktn-uk.co.uk