£33m invested in environmentally-friendly inhaler production

A joint investment between the UK government and a US tech firm will support 250 jobs across a pair of manufacturing sites in Clitheroe and Loughborough.

£33m has been earmarked by the government and Kindeva Drug Delivery to ensure that a new generation of green, low-carbon, respiratory inhalers are made in the UK.

The investment will create 40 full-time jobs and safeguard 218 existing full-time jobs across Kindeva’s two UK sites. It will also fund green improvements to Kindeva’s underlying inhaler componentry supply chain in Clitheroe.

David Stevens, Kindeva's global chief commercial officer, said: "This joint investment of public and private funds creates myriad new opportunities for Kindeva colleagues within the UL, as significant technical and regulatory expertise is required in the development and manufacturing of complex inhalation products.

"This investment provides Kindeva with a springboard to expand our capabilities and capacity, while simultaneously partnering with leading pharmaceutical companies around the world to bring the next generation of green inhalers to market — with a common goal of safeguarding access to necessary therapies for patients and reducing our impact on the planet.”

The government's funding has been allocated through its Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund, part of the chancellor’s new £650m Life Sci for Growth war-chest.

Health Minister Will Quince said: "The pandemic demonstrated the importance of investing in our ability to manufacture medicines in the UK, and of upskilling staff in the sector, so we can respond rapidly to health emergencies. This investment in low-carbon inhalers will also help the NHS meet its net zero ambition.

"Life sciences is a key growth area and one of the UK’s most successful sectors and this is another example of how we are partnering with industry to supercharge manufacturing and research, supporting thousands of high-value jobs and enabling patients to benefit from the latest innovations."