Cheshire life sciences sector recognised with High Potential Opportunity status for international investors

The Department for International Trade (DIT) has recognised the Cheshire and Greater Manchester life sciences sector with High Potential Opportunity (HPO) status following a joint bid.

The North West Life Science Cluster is to promoted by DIT for international investors looking to design, develop, test, and commercialise new diagnostics and early interventions for healthy ageing. The collective strengths of the Cheshire and Greater Manchester regions have been highlighted in DIT document, High Potential Opportunity: Diagnostics and Early Intervention for Healthy Ageing.

The region has been awarded HPO status for its life sciences sector following a joint campaign by Greater Manchester’s inward investment agency, MIDAS, and Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (C&W LEP).

Attaining HPO status underlines the North West’s importance and prominence in the UK life sciences sector, which is worth more than £80.7 billion a year to the economy, and draws attention to the region’s key strengths in molecular diagnostics, digital health and drug discovery and development. The sector’s growth also forms a key pillar of Greater Manchester’s Local Industrial Strategy and Economic Vision.

Clare Hayward MBE, Chair of Cheshire and Warrington LEP said:

“Cheshire and Warrington and Greater Manchester have world-leading assets and capabilities in life sciences, and inclusion in the Department for International Trade’s HPO programme is a clear endorsement of this.

“With an outstanding track record of clinical innovation at the Alderley Park bioscience campus, Cheshire and Warrington is ready to work with international investors to tackle the big challenges of our time such as diagnostics and healthy ageing.

“We can offer a fantastic test bed for global pharmaceutical companies, and through our Growth Hub will offer extensive business support and access to talent via our extensive industry partnerships.

“Alongside our outstanding intellectual and physical assets and an established and innovative supply chain we can offer a brilliant quality of life here that few other locations can rival.”