Hertfordshire has a long-established life sciences sector with the world’s third-largest Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) cluster centred at its heart in Stevenage, developing ground-breaking, advanced medicines for human use based on genes, tissues and cells. Today, there are over 300 life sciences businesses in the county, employing close to 5,000 people, contributing significantly to the local and national economy. 

The rapid growth of this cluster is not by chance, but thanks to a shared vision taken forward by local industry and public sector partners. Hertfordshire LEP has played a critical role in its success, recognising the sector’s global significance in its blueprint for growth (Perfectly Placed for Business, Strategic Economic Plan, 2017-2030).

By 2020, private equity investment in R&D activities in Stevenage matched that of the life science clusters in Cambridgeshire and London. Stevenage was awarded Life Sciences Opportunity Zone status and the Department for International Trade (DIT) classified Stevenage as a High Potential Opportunity (HPO) zone to attract mobile foreign direct investment into the UK.

In the last five years alone, the LEP has channelled more than £10m funding into projects by Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst and the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult to address potential constraints on the growth of the industry. As a consequence, the area has attracted several university spin outs from London and Cambridge. Three of these companies have since been listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and one has been acquired by Pfizer, but still carries out its research in Stevenage. 

In 2021 in response to this growth, the LEP commissioned an independent report and subsequent Sector Action Plan which set out how it can sustain this momentum and how the county can be a catalyst for UK life sciences expansion. 

In 2022, the LEP convened a Life Sciences Industry Panel to drive forward the action plan to deliver sustained sector growth, improved health outcomes and a huge economic uplift for the county and across the UK.  It is chaired by LEP Board Member Dianne Lee, founder and director of regulatory consultancy DLRC Ltd, with representation from Eisai, Pharmaron, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult Manufacturing Centre, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, GSK, Kadans, Autolus, One Nucleus, MedCity and VWV which runs the Pharmaceutical Industry Network Group (PING) and PING Conference. 

Today the pace of growth in Stevenage continues with plans to create one of Europe’s largest life sciences hubs. UBS Asset Management and Reef will bring forward development to deliver up to £900m of new investment on 33 acres of vacant land next to the Catalyst.

Autolus Therapeutics, one of the area’s most successful incubated university spin-outs, is moving rapidly to the commercialisation of advanced therapy medicinal products for the treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Working with Reef developments, Autolus is establishing a manufacturing and HQ facility at Marshgate in Stevenage. The building is nearing completion and is scheduled to open this year.

Kadans Science Partner, a Dutch owned science park operator, has also invested over £25m to transform a 1980s storage facility into a flexible building with tailor-made offices and laboratories for life sciences. The building houses the CGT Catapult’s Skills and Training Laboratories which were co-funded by CGTC and the LEP through its successful bid to government for £3m from the Build Back Better Fund.

Building a local skills pipeline and providing opportunities will be key. The LEP part-funded and supported the delivery of the Hertfordshire Science Partnerships programme at the University of Hertfordshire. Part of this allows graduate research scientists to undertake a four-year, PhD level research and development alliance between the University and a commercial organisation. This gives companies access to new, talented scientists while enabling graduate researchers to gain invaluable knowledge of applying science in the commercial and entrepreneurial world.

The LEP also helps local people access jobs, apprenticeships and training programmes through its skills portal Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal, www.hopinto.co.uk. This offers young people and educators a vast bank of free sector-specific information, including on life sciences, as well as resources and webinars. 

Read more - Inward investment in Hertfordshire: life sciences