EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Emergent Macromolecular Therapies
NEW: Updated Feasibility Study Proforma
Further information concerning the EPSRC Centre is available on the dedicated website
Vision: To establish a Centre that delivers innovation in manufacturing research to assess emergent challenges facing the UK biopharmaceutical sector, and which impact its global competitiveness. It will act as the focus for a national network of leading users and academics in manufacturing and provide strong support for UK industry. It will become recognised as the primary centre for the creation, delivery and dissemination of decision-support tools to enable lifecycle optimisation of novel macromolecular therapies. This will widen access to valuable therapies for diseases such as severe arthritis, cancers which are currently untreatable and multiple sclerosis by raising manufacturing efficiency whilst reducing costs to the purchaser (e.g. NHS).
Vision: To establish a Centre that delivers innovation in manufacturing research to assess emergent challenges facing the UK biopharmaceutical sector, and which impact its global competitiveness. It will act as the focus for a national network of leading users and academics in manufacturing and provide strong support for UK industry. It will become recognised as the primary centre for the creation, delivery and dissemination of decision-support tools to enable lifecycle optimisation of novel macromolecular therapies. This will widen access to valuable therapies for diseases such as severe arthritis, cancers which are currently untreatable and multiple sclerosis by raising manufacturing efficiency whilst reducing costs to the purchaser (e.g. NHS).Rationale: The current manufacturing model in the UK is rapidly becoming uncompetitive. While selection of the drug lead for development is primarily based on clinical efficacy, significant advantage can be gained from early analysis and development of the entire manufacturing pathway. Macromolecular medicines are complex products. They are more costly to manufacture and use than conventional chemical medicines. If the fit of the manufacturing process and design of the final medicine are poor, then costs will escalate and patient access will be restricted because of acute budget pressures on the NHS. The UK global position in pharmaceutical development will also suffer, as manufacturing practices will continue to migrate to regions where costs are low.
Deliverables: A network of industrial users and academics will create the tools, methods, skill-sets and trained personnel needed to ensure this UK manufacturing sector continues to innovate. The Centre will establish manufacturing lifecycle solutions to enhance the UK capacity to develop cost-effective therapies. Concurrent engineering of the entire manufacturing pathway will achieve a paradigm shift in manufacturing practice, increase UK manufacturing competitiveness, and reduce the escalating cost burden to the NHS for the provision of new medicines.
Mode of Operation: Manufacturing lifecycle analysis and optimisation will be conducted by a team of decision-support experts, biomanufacturing specialists, supply chain analysts and cost modellers from leading UK university and industry user-groups. Efficient pipeline agreements will be utilised to ensure that all intellectual property is protected. Extensive collaborations will be conducted with leveraged funding (e.g. TSB, KTP, BBSRC, ESRC, EU and industry) to ensure that innovation will be sustained and widespread. A core of flagship research will deliver proof-of-concept tools, demonstrated against a test set of user-defined products. A parallel set of linked feasibility studies will grow the network and the UK capabilities whilst providing opportunities for extrapolation of the methods to a diverse set of manufacturing domains.
Key Academic and Industrial Partners: University College London Imperial College London School of Pharmacy 24 UK companies (SME to Blue chip; consultancies, suppliers, discovery companies, contract manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies) 6 UK KTNS, public associations, trade bodies 13 UK and 10 Overseas/EU HEIs expressing interest to be feasibility partners
Contact: Professor Nigel Titchener-Hooker, EPSRC Centre Director Tel: +44 (0) 207 679 3796 Fax: +44 (0) 207 916 3943 Email: nigelth *AT* ucl.ac.uk
Page last modified on 26 jun 12 10:56
