Discovery Park has been named a Life Sciences Opportunity Zone (LSOZ) by the government.
The park, based in Sandwich, is one of six new LSOZs across the UK and is home to a number of ambitious and growing life sciences companies, including anchor tenant Pfizer.
In total there are around 160 companies and 3,500 people based at the site.
The designation reflects the park’s strengths and growth potential, particularly across advanced manufacturing, digital and AI in healthcare. These areas are important to the future of the UK’s life sciences industry, population health and economic wealth. Discovery Park will also play an important role in developing a regional life sciences cluster.
Discovery Park’s application for LSOZ status was reviewed by industry experts and Government officials, who were impressed by its continuing development ‘with a focus on advanced manufacturing and AI and with the continued support of anchor companies such as Pfizer.
Becoming a LSOZ will raise Discovery Park’s profile with potential investors and biotech, pharma and medtech tenants in the UK and globally.
Life Sciences Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “The UK is home to one of the strongest, most vibrant health and life science industries globally, with discoveries and improvements in health diagnosis transforming people’s lives.”
Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park said: “We are proud that Discovery Park has been awarded Life Sciences Opportunity Zone status, highlighting our strengths and driving our innovation and investment focus this year.
“Discovery Park looks forward to working with other LSOZs and the Government, realising our strategy and contributing to the success of the UK life sciences industry. Thanks are due to our supportive tenants and partners as we work together to make Discovery Park the home for ambitious growing firms, from small molecules through to biologicals and advanced therapies.”
LSOZs benefit from engagement with government ministers and officials from the Department for International Trade (DIT) and the Office for Life Sciences (OLS).
Each LSOZ receives:
visits from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Business
the opportunity to discuss with DIT how to work together to promote the science park abroad
direct engagement with officials in OLS
the ability to use Industrial Strategy branding