UK invests £33 million in green respiratory inhalers manufacturing to boost economy and create jobs

The UK government, in collaboration with global firm Kindeva Drug Delivery, is investing £33 million in UK medicines manufacturing to produce a new generation of green, low-carbon respiratory inhalers.

This joint investment will support the growth of the economy and create 40 full-time jobs while safeguarding 218 existing positions across Kindeva's sites in Clitheroe and Loughborough.

This investment is the sixth to be delivered through the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF) and its predecessor, the Medicines and Diagnostics Manufacturing Transformation Fund.

These funds have provided £340 million in joint government and industry support in the last financial year and £416 million since 2021 to boost the UK's life sciences manufacturing sector. By fostering innovation and investment in the life sciences sector, the government aims to grow the economy and generate well-paid jobs, aligning with the Prime Minister's priorities.

The funding comes in the wake of the Chancellor's £650 million 'Life Sci for Growth' initiative, announced earlier this year, designed to bolster the UK's life sciences sector through regulatory reforms, increased investment and talent development.

Minister of State for Science, Research & Innovation, George Freeman MP, highlighted the significance of the life sciences sector, which supports over 250,000 high-skilled jobs in research and development clusters across the UK. He emphasised the importance of domestic manufacturing and skills enhancement to ensure the future success of UK life sciences, benefiting the economy and public health.

Freeman said: "Our £94 billion life science sector is one of our great industries – based on a deep long-term partnership between industry, investors, government, the NHS and disease charities – supporting us all to live healthier lives and providing over 250,000 high-skilled jobs in research and development clusters all around the UK."

The minister continued: "It is also driving billions of pounds worth of direct investment into the UK, something this government is determined to capitalise on through our global leadership via the Oxford Covid vaccine and NHS Recovery trial.

"The pace of new technology is transforming the sector and today's investments signal our commitment to domestic manufacturing and skills enhancement, to deliver a robust future for UK life sciences that will not only play a key role in the country's future economic success but in improving our health as well."

Health Minister Will Quince underscored the importance of investing in domestic medicine manufacturing, as demonstrated during the pandemic. This investment in low-carbon inhalers not only aids the NHS's net-zero ambition but also supports the growth of the life sciences sector, generating high-value jobs and advancing healthcare innovations.

Will Quince said: "The pandemic demonstrated the importance of investing in our ability to manufacture medicines in the UK and of upskilling staff in the sector, so we can respond rapidly to health emergencies. This investment in low-carbon inhalers will also help the NHS meet its net-zero ambition."

The health minister further added: "Life sciences is a key growth area and one of the UK's most successful sectors and this is another example of how we are partnering with industry to supercharge manufacturing and research, supporting thousands of high-value jobs and enabling patients to benefit from the latest innovations."

The LSIMF builds on the success of the Medicines and Diagnostics Manufacturing Transformation Fund (MDMTF) pilot programme, which delivered £75 million in joint government and industry investment, creating 224 new jobs and safeguarding 345 existing roles.

Kindeva Drug Delivery, a leading global contract development and manufacturing organisation specialising in pharmaceutical drug-device combination products, including inhalers and medicated patches, is the beneficiary of this latest investment.

The company's Global Chief Commercial Officer, David Stevens, expressed excitement about the opportunities the investment presents, enabling them to expand capabilities and capacity while working with pharmaceutical giants to introduce eco-friendly inhalers and ensure access to necessary therapies.

He said: "This joint investment creates a myriad of new opportunities for colleagues within the UK, as significant technical and regulatory expertise is required in the development and manufacturing of complex inhalation pharmaceutical products.

"Furthermore, it provides Kindeva with a springboard to expand our capabilities and capacity, while simultaneously partnering with the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world to bring the next generation of green inhalers to market, with a common goal of safeguarding access to necessary therapies for our patients and also reducing our impact on the planet."

The UK government's Life Sciences Vision, published in 2021, aims to create a globally competitive environment for life science manufacturing investments, leveraging manufacturing R&D, innovation centres, and responding to COVID-19.

Life sciences play a pivotal role in the UK Science and Technology Framework, which seeks to advance critical technologies for health and life sciences and improve the regulatory landscape for the sector.