| 1999 |
UK Government sponsored programme “Manufacturing for Biotechnology” identified a critical lack of capacity within the UK for the production of small scale high quality biopharmaceuticals for early phase clinical trials. |
| 2000 |
Professor Julian Crampton (ProVice Chancellor, Liverpool University) suggested building the facility within Merseyside, building on the region's world class pharmaceutical tradition established by Chiron (now Novartis), Eli Lilly and MedImmune. |
| 2001 |
Government Pharmaceutical Industry Competitiveness Task Force reported that biopharmaceutical manufacturing technology should be a key focus. The National Biomanufacturing Centre proposal then received a commitment for initial funding from Stephen Byers, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. |
| 2002 |
Bionow, the Northwest Regional Development Agency’s biotechnology cluster programme, led by Dr Linda Magee secured £30 million funding for the project. The project is financed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, the European Regional Development Fund and the Department of Trade and Industry. |
| 2004 |
Construction work began. |
| 2005 |
Validation of the facility and equipment started. |
| 2006 |
National Biomanufacturing Centre became operational with an increasing number of projects coming on line throughout the year. |
