Industry Strengths

Manchester City Region’s biotechnology community is rapidly expanding, bolstered by the region’s internationally renowned academic and research strengths.

Manchester represents a large proportion of the regional life science and biomedical sector within England's Northwest which, as one of the UK's top three biomedical clusters, has been described by the Financial Times as a genuine rival to 'overheated London'. The city region is also recognised as a member of the 'European Super League' of biotech clusters by Strategem, and is in the top 50 in the world by Boston Consulting.

Manchester City Region’s strength is based on a rapidly expanding biomedical and life science cluster of excellence partnered with internationally renowned academic and clinical research strengths. The regional presence of major global pharmaceutical and healthcare companies such as, AstraZeneca, Gen-Probe, Qiagen and Eli Lilly; the academic, research and innovation opportunities and a well established supported infrastructure has created an environment that has attracted over 230 biomedical companies to the region.

The city region is home to 24 NHS organizations serving a population of 3.2 million. These include Central Manchester University Hospital which is Europe’s largest single-site clinical academic campus serving more than a million patients per year providing a gateway to the NHS in Manchester.

Manchester is also home to the Christie Hospital, one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 40,000 patients a year and serving a population of 3.2million across Greater Manchester and Cheshire. By the end of 2010 The Christie will open its new £35million patient treatment centre which will be home to the largest clinical trials unit in the world.

The health and social care industry in the Northwest employs 192,000 people, corresponding to 6.8% of the regional employment.

The University of Manchester’s faculties of medical and human science and of life sciences form one of the largest health science groups in Europe ranking number one for cancer, dentistry, nursing and midwifery (RAE 2008), producing more than 5,000 biotech and medical graduates per year underpinned by strong links with industry. Researchers have collaborated with leading global companies including: AstraZeneca, Aventis Pharma, Eli Lilly, GSK and Pfizer.

The capabilities of the University of Manchester’s faculties form a key element of the city region’s world-class reputation, its strengths include tissue repair and wound healing, clinical trials capabilities, neuroscience research, bioinformatics and oncology.

Manchester offers many opportunities to investors in fostering and accelerating innovation, collaboration and partnering with research and delivery, through to commercialization.
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To find out more about the life sciences and biomedical industries in Manchester City Region, please contact:

Damien Roberts, Business Development Manager

damien.roberts@midas.org.uk