US pharmaceutical company Bristol Meyers Squibb (BMS) is set to unveil a new laboratory building in May this year. This state-of-the-art facility will house around 250 scientists and operational staff. It will monitor the effectiveness of existing drugs, test impurities, and, therefore, look to extend shelf life. The growing presence of companies like BMS is more than a scientific win; it’s an economic one, bringing thousands of jobs and millions of investments to Merseyside.
Liverpool is the only place in the UK officially designated a "high potential opportunity" area for vaccines, and its leadership in tackling infectious diseases is already well-proven. The city is home to the world’s first tropical research institute - founded in 1898 - and pioneered the European manufacturing of penicillin, biosynthetic insulin, and human growth hormones in the 1980s.
Another company that could be the key player in Liverpool’s rise as a life science hub is AstraZeneca. In talks with the UK government, the company wants to expand funding for its childhood vaccine factory in Speke. The facility would transform into a more considerable research and manufacturing center, shifting from egg-based to cell-culture-based vaccine production. The vaccines made in Speke are sent to the US for final processing, but an expansion would allow full production in the UK.
Expanding this multinational company in Speke itself could signal the city’s dedication to innovative medicine, potentially inviting more investors in the future. Liverpool’s growing life science sector is strongly backed by the government, with funding, job training, and apprenticeships available to attract and upskill workers.
The UK’s scientific expertise and export-friendly currency can provide an excellent base for multinational companies. If investment continues at this rate, Liverpool could soon become a global hotspot for life science.