Manufacturing, digital & AI – key to Life Sciences Industrial Strategy - highlighted
Sandwich, Kent, February 20 2020 – Discovery Park, the thriving science park for ambitious and growing life sciences companies, has been named a Life Sciences Opportunity Zone (LSOZ) by the UK Government’s Office for Life Sciences. This prestigious designation reflects the Park’s strengths and growth potential, particularly across advanced manufacturing, digital and AI in healthcare. These areas are important to the future of the UK’s life sciences industry, population health and economic wealth, as highlighted in the recent Life Sciences Strategy update. One of six new LSOZs across the UK, Discovery Park will also play an important role in developing a regional life sciences cluster.
Discovery Park’s application for LSOZ status was reviewed by industry experts and Government officials, who were impressed by its continuing development ‘with a focus on advanced manufacturing and AI and with the continued support of anchor companies such as Pfizer.’ Becoming a LSOZ will raise Discovery Park’s profile with potential investors, plus biotech, pharma and medtech tenants in the UK and globally, highlighting its collaborative community, high-specification labs and grow-on space.
Life Sciences Minister Nadhim Zahawi, said: "The UK is home to one of the strongest, most vibrant health and life science industries globally, with discoveries and improvements in health diagnosis transforming people’s lives."
Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, said: "We are proud that Discovery Park has been awarded Life Sciences Opportunity Zone status, highlighting our strengths and driving our Innovation and Investment focus this year. Discovery Park looks forward to working with other LSOZs and the Government, realising our strategy and contributing to the success of the UK life sciences industry. Thanks are due to our supportive tenants and partners as we work together to make Discovery Park the home for ambitious growing firms, from small molecules through to biologicals and advanced therapies."
Brian Henry, VP, Medicinal Sciences, Pfizer R&D UK Ltd, said: "As a tenant at Discovery Park, and its partner in many areas, Pfizer is delighted the Park’s Life Sciences Opportunity Zone application was successful. It recognises the work we are doing together on a range of areas, such as advanced manufacturing and the use of AI/digitisation in pharmaceutical development activities. LSOZ status will be a significant catalyst for the delivery of the Discovery Park vision, and the resultant influx of investment and talent will add to the vibrant environment here."
Julian Thompson, VP, Pfizer Global Regulatory Operations and Sandwich Site Head, said: "Pfizer is proud to celebrate the success of the Life Sciences Opportunity Zone application, alongside Discovery Park. We continue to have a strong presence at the park and the site provides major contributions to Pfizer’s pipeline and our development of breakthrough medicines for patients globally. We look forward to working closely with the Discovery Park team to ensure the site continues to be a leading life sciences park and an incubator for scientific innovation and digital technology."
Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development Mike Whiting, said: "KCC is a long-term supporter of Discovery Park’s ambitious development strategy, via investment and other activities. LSOZ status will further drive the success of this important local employer and generator of economic benefit."
Christian Brodie, Chair of South East Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "SELEP is pleased to see that the strengths and expertise at Discovery Park have been recognised, and looks forward to continuing to work with it to make the most of this new LSOZ status and the investment it will bring. Activity at the Park is in line with the emerging priorities for our Local Industrial Strategy, focussed on improving productivity through investment."
Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Leader of Dover District Council, said: "Dover District Council shares Discovery Park’s ambition to become a world class and world leading science park. Becoming a LSOZ brings recognition of its expertise and will raise its profile to achieve its goals."
Editor’s Notes
About Discovery Park
Discovery Park has grown to be a thriving part of the South East’s life science community over the past seven years as a multi-business science campus. The site offers high quality laboratory, office and manufacturing facilities, the space and support to expand, access to local finance, and a strong local scientific talent pool.
The growing tenant community includes Pfizer, which built the site’s reputation as a centre for drug discovery and discovered some of the most famous drugs in the world here. Other tenants include Algaecytes, Canterbury Christ Church University, Centauri Therapeutics, Concept Life Sciences, Genea Biomedx, LGC, LifeCells, Mylan and Salvensis. Discovery Park is home to 160+ companies employing 3,500 employees in total. With easy connections to London, Europe and the world Discovery Park is a great place to build and grow your biotech, medtech or pharma business.
Posted on 20 February 2020