Pharmaceuticals
North East England is the foremost region in the UK for pharmaceutical manufacturing, with a third of the country’s entire production.
Among the major global companies located in the region are GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck Sharp & Dohme and Sanofi Aventis.
Smaller, fast-expanding companies such as Specials Laboratory have been created in the region. This manufactures generic pharmaceuticals as well as providing specialist clean room facilities for handling and packaging new drugs awaiting clinic trials.
North East universities – principally Durham and Newcastle - are carrying out leading edge research ranging from cell biology and genomics to pharmacology. Meanwhile Sunderland University has one of the UK’s largest pharmacy schools.
Clinical research is supported by health informatics and project management companies. These include the internationally renowned Sowerby Centre for Health Informatics at Newcastle (SCHIN) and a new Biosystems Informatics Institute.
During the past three years this speciality chemicals company has created more than 300 highly-skilled jobs at its Billingham site in Tees Valley. This followed an investment of £70m to build one of the largest biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Europe, with the help of a £6.5m Regional Selective Assistance grant. Avecia was formed after a £1.3bn buyout of the specialities business from AstraZeneca in 1999.
Pharmaceuticals Fact Sheet [pdf]
(252 KB)
