Manchester precision medicine campus reaches next stage of completion

The next stage of a Manchester-based life sciences campus has reached practical completion, despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

A joint venture between Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP), Citylabs has been designed as a campus targeting companies within fields such as precision medicine and medtech.

The first phase of the development at MFT’s Oxford Road hospital campus – Citylabs 1.0 – is already home to a number of life sciences businesses.

Now the next stage of the project has reached completion. Citylabs 2.0 is a £25 million, 92,000 sq ft build located directly opposite the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, within the MFT campus. It’s hoped that the new building will help support up to 1,500 jobs, while also adding an estimated £150 million to Manchester’s economy over the next decade.

It forms part of a £95 million expansion which will also see the addition of Citylabs 4.0 to the campus sometime in 2022 – adding a further 1,200 jobs when complete.

The aim is to make the Citylabs campus a new national hub for precision medicine and data analytical businesses, helping bring diagnostics and treatments into Manchester’s health system.

Businesses based at Citylabs have access to clinical and academic collaborators located on the campus, as well as business support such as advice on funding sources and professional services.

Life sciences company QIAEGN will occupy the whole of Citylabs 2.0 for its Global Centre of Excellence for Precision Medicine, relocating from its current location at the nearby Manchester Science Park.

The completion of Citylabs 2.0 represents another addition to Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor Innovation district. The district is home to 50% of Manchester’s life science businesses and generates £3.6 billion gross valued added (GVA) every year.

Tom Renn, managing director of MSP and Bruntwood SciTech - Manchester, said: “Our long-term vision for the Citylabs campus is now one step closer in realising its goal to become a world-class centre for diagnostics and health innovation.

“The last few months have showcased the importance of the life sciences sector and particularly diagnostics to society, the jobs it creates and its role in driving the UK forward globally. QIAGEN has been at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 as a leading developer and manufacturer of test kits to help track the virus. Their expansion into Citylabs 2.0 will act as a magnet for complementary businesses – from start-ups to scale-ups and R&D centres of excellence – helping strengthen the ecosystem of the Oxford Road Corridor innovation district. 

“Despite the current challenges we’re pleased to have reached Practical Completion at Citylabs 2.0 with minimal delay and can now swiftly progress QIAGEN’s fit out. I’d like to thank all of the teams who have worked on Citylabs 2.0 for their ability to quickly adapt at the beginning of the pandemic to enable construction to continue, with a fantastic end result.”

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “The development of this new health innovation and precision medicine campus and the practical completion of Citylabs 2.0 helps confirm Manchester as a world leader in this vital industry, creating a raft of highly skilled health science jobs and providing an all important economic boost to the city. Manchester’s future success depends on building on our distinctive strengths of which life sciences is definitely one.”