UK-based contract development and manufacturing organisation Upperton Pharma Solutions was joined by Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine co-inventor Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, biotech industry representatives and local leaders to celebrate the official opening of a new 50,000 square foot development and GMP manufacturing facility in Nottingham.
In addition to Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, the plaque-unveiling ceremony included local Member of Parliament, Darren Henry MP, and leading industry professionals.
Nikki Whitfield, CEO of Upperton Pharma Solutions, said, “This celebration marks another milestone in our incredible growth journey as a business. We are looking forward to officially opening our doors to customers and offering a single site solution for development and GMP manufacturing.”
“It was a pleasure to join Upperton for the grand opening of their new facility”, said Guest of Honour, Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, Principal Investigator at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford and co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. “During the pandemic we saw the importance of academia and industry working closely together to deliver life-saving vaccines and treatments. Upperton’s expansion into this new site is a great example of the crucial role UK-based pharmaceutical organisations have to play in addressing global health challenges. I look forward to collaborating with Upperton in the future.”
The new facility contains ten GMP manufacturing suites, cutting-edge quality control laboratories, and formulation development capabilities equipped with a pilot plant. The facility empowers Upperton to offer customers a seamless transition from early formulation development to clinical trial supplies from Phase 1 to Phase 3 and niche scale commercial manufacturing all on one site.
The official opening marks another milestone for Upperton following the announcement and ongoing build of a new sterile facility on the same site, for the manufacturing of aseptic and terminally sterilised small volume liquids for parenteral, ocular and pulmonary delivery due for completion at the end of 2024.