NI can become leading biotechnology force

Northern Ireland can become a driving force in the global biotechnology industry through the pioneering work and enterprise of its universities, research centres and the existing cluster of companies in this fast developing industry.

This was the message from Enterprise Minister, Ian Pearson who was speaking at a dinner at Stormont last night which was organised to mark the official opening of Almac House, the new CSS laboratories and research complex, at Craigavon.

CSS provides fully-integrated support for activities from drug discovery through the key phases of clinical trials.

Describing the CSS facility as “a superb and genuinely worldclass facility,” Mr Pearson said: “This investment is another excellent indication that the Biotech and Health Technologies sector is rapidly developing into one of Northern Ireland’s most significant generators of economic wealth.

“At present, we have around 50 companies operating across a number of the life science disciplines, from pharmaceuticals to medical devices, biotech and diagnostics, generating upwards of £230 million of turnover for the local economy and employing in the region of 4,000 people, up almost a third in the last three years.

“To facilitate the development of this and other knowledge-driven industries, my Department produced the Regional Innovation Strategy, ThinkICreateIInnovate. This has been shaped to create the conditions and provide the incentives in which industries like biotechnology that are focused on innovation will prosper and flourish throughout Northern Ireland.

“Our objective is to drive Northern Ireland’s economic progress by fostering a greater investment in innovation; by exploiting our strong knowledge base, particularly within the universities; and by stimulating an increasing willingness to embrace an entrepreneurial culture,” he added.

The Minister said support for biotechnology in Northern Ireland was in line with the Government’s commitment to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of scientific advance.

“The powerhouse that drives so many successful companies is continuous research and development. In our case, much of this R&D is carried out in collaboration with our two excellent universities, Queen’s Belfast and the University of Ulster and supported via Invest NI’s START and COMPETE Programmes," he added.

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