Celebrating the UK’s Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership

In this blog, Abby Clark, Manufacturing Programme Manager at the BioIndustry Assocation (BIA), highlights some of the key achievements of BIA and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry's (ABPI) Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership (MMIP). She also takes the opportunity to look ahead to what the next decade could deliver for the UK’s medicines manufacturing ambition.

It’s an exciting time for the Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership (MMIP) following the recent appointment of Kit Erlebach of FUJIFILM Biotechnologies as the new Chair. This moment offers an opportunity not only to reflect on how far MMIP has come, but also to look ahead to what the next decade could deliver for the UK’s medicines manufacturing ambition.

Six things MMIP has delivered

1. A stronger skills pipeline for a fast-growing industry

MMIP has been instrumental in shaping the UK’s future manufacturing workforce. From its early work on the Life Sciences 2030 Skills Strategy to backing major programmes such as the Advanced Therapies Apprenticeship Community (ATAC), MMIP has helped create career pathways that simply didn’t exist a decade ago.

ATAC alone has now supported hundreds of apprentices across dozens of companies, building a diverse and highly skilled pipeline for advanced therapies manufacturing. The partnership has also championed the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network, expanding access to hands-on, industry-ready training across the UK.

2. Transformational manufacturing innovation

MMIP’s role in driving technology adoption and innovation has been profound.It championed the creation of the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC) in Scotland, a national asset enabling companies to accelerate next-generation manufacturing methods, continuous processing, and sustainable production technologies.

Through collaborative work on technology roadmaps and white papers, MMIP has helped accelerate industrial digitalisation, improve process efficiency, and strengthen the UK’s leadership in advanced, agile and environmentally responsible manufacturing.

3. Leadership in sustainable, green, high-tech manufacturing

MMIP’s Green High-Tech Road Manufacturing Report put sustainability firmly at the centre of UK medicines manufacturing strategy. This work reflects a long-term commitment to supporting low-carbon, resource-efficient production, ensuring the UK can lead not only in innovation but in responsible, future-proof manufacturing.

4. Resilient, investment-ready manufacturing capacity

MMIP’s fiscal work has played a major role in shaping government funding programmes such as the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF) and its predecessors, as well as the Life Sciences Large Investment Portfolio scheme.

This coordinated advocacy has helped unlock hundreds of millions in capital investment, supported new manufacturing facilities and expansions across the UK, and created new high-value jobs, therefore bolstering national supply chain resilience and competitiveness.

5. Championing advanced therapies in the early days

MMIP played a central role in the Advanced Therapy Manufacturing Taskforce, bringing industry and government together to identify what the UK needed to become a world leader in advanced therapy medicinal products. Through MMIP’s coordination, the taskforce set out clear recommendations on skills, regulation, investment and infrastructure that helped shape national policy and unlock new manufacturing capabilities across the country. This work laid the foundations for the UK’s strong position in ATMP manufacturing today, ensuring companies can develop, scale and commercialise advanced therapies here in the UK.

6. A trusted interface between industry and government

Perhaps MMIP’s greatest strength has been its ability to offer government a coherent, strategic view of industry needs. Something never more important than during the pandemic or in today’s globally competitive manufacturing landscape.

The partnership has shaped regulatory flexibilities, advised on policy direction, and ensured the UK remains attractive for advanced manufacturing investment.

The next chapter

As global competition intensifies with major manufacturing investments being made in the US, Europe and Asia, the UK’s ability to mobilise industry and government around a shared plan is more important than ever.

MMIP remains the UK’s central platform for delivering that coordination. With a decade of impact behind us, the partnership is well positioned to help the UK:

• Lead the world in advanced therapies and digitalised manufacturing

• Attract high-value investment

• Strengthen national resilience

• Create high-skilled, future-focused jobs

• Drive sustainable, competitive growth across the medicines manufacturing sector

BIA is proud to be a founding partner of MMIP alongside the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), and we look forward to continue working with Kit, colleagues across the sector, and government to deliver the next generation of UK manufacturing success. 

What is MMIP?

MMIP was co-founded by BIA and ABPI in 2014 to provide a strategic forum bringing together government, trade associations, large pharmaceutical companies and SMEs. It has since become a key driver of policy influence, skills development, innovation adoption and inward investment in UK medicines manufacturing.

MMIP was created to replicate the success of sector–government partnerships in industries such as aerospace and automotive. Its purpose is straightforward but ambitious: to enable industry and government to work in partnership to shape the long-term future and global competitiveness of medicines manufacturing in the UK.