Network & Eco-System

The North East has a well-established network of clusters, accelerator programmes and organisations able to support start-up and growing businesses. What makes it the ideal location for life sciences companies is the addition of specialist networks to nurture the unique needs of the sector.

Our specialist networks include:

CPI based in County Durham, supports innovation across the pharmaceutical industry. It uses its expert experience to help accelerate pharmaceutical developments and support advancing manufacturing innovations, working with new, adaptable innovations and processes to provide for the future demands of manufacturing. CPI also works to accelerate drug manufacturing and release strategies that reduce clinical and commercial supply chain delays.

CPI offers world-class facilities across its sites that provide equipment and technical expertise to help companies develop next-generation products and processes. The centres support cross-sector knowledge sharing and allow the formation of unique innovation networks across the entire supply chain. CPI’s National Centres include:

  • National Printable Electronics Centre
  • National Formulation Centre
  • National Industrial Biotechnology Facility
  • National Biologics Manufacturing Centre
  • Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre
  • National Healthcare Photonics Centre
  • mRNA Centre of Excellence & Training Academy

North East Pharma was founded to act as a strong voice for North East based pharmaceuticals companies. The vision of North East Pharma is to support North East pharmaceutical sector businesses and manufacturing sites to grow their employment, skills, investment, exports and supply chains through business-led collaboration. It acts to develop and communicate information about North East pharmaceuticals, ensure the long-term supply of skills, develop and secure the supply chain, foster improvement in the logistics and connectivity and support trade and exports.

The sector in the wider North East is supported by an active cluster lead body, North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC). With over 300 members, NEPIC covers a broad sweep of chemistry-focused industries including petrochemicals, polymers and materials, fine and speciality chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and renewables, and is well placed to identify and build on synergies between these fields. It works to promote the cluster nationally and to attract investment internationally. It runs First for Pharma, an initiative that brings together senior industry figures to discuss issues affecting the sector.

Quotient Sciences is a Northumberland-based agile and flexible contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) that serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Its services support clients across the drug development pathway, including expertise in drug synthesis and manufacturing scale-up, drug product manufacture, bioanalytical services and radiolabelling synthesis.

Additional key networks and cluster groups include: