BRAINTREE’S MP visited a new centre to see how the facility will help innovation and advancement in the area.

James Cleverly, MP for Braintree and Halstead, visited the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Braintree.

Mr Cleverly came to see how the new facility will contribute to accelerating innovation in the development of advanced therapies and support levelling up in the local area.

His visit to the facility began with an introduction to centre bosses, including CGT Catapult chief executive officer Matthew Durdy, and chief manufacturing officer Dr Stephen Ward.

They briefed the Braintree MP on the extensive work that has been done to upgrade the site to deliver a high level of innovation flexibility.

Mr Cleverly was also given a tour of the centre, where he was shown the new high-specification, controlled-environment production areas and cutting-edge technologies.

These will allow advanced therapy developers to make best use of the site’s capabilities and expertise accelerating the delivery of the transformational treatments to patients.

Mr Durdy said: “Even before it is fully operational, the Braintree Manufacturing Innovation Centre is already one of the most advanced facilities for manufacturing advanced therapies in Europe, and is set to become a hugely attractive venue for our collaborators over the next year.

“This visit was a welcome opportunity for our Braintree team to show how this new centre will play a critical role in driving local growth and job creation in Braintree.”