Centre for Process Innovation

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Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)
FounderONE NorthEast
HeadquartersWilton Centre,
Redcar
,
United Kingdom
Number of locations
10 (2024)
Key people
Frank Millar (CEO)
Revenue57,318,466 Euro (2020) Edit this on Wikidata
Number of employees
700 (2024)
Websitewww.uk-cpi.com Edit this at Wikidata

The Centre for Process Innovation Limited, trading as CPI, is a British technology and innovation social enterprise covering the AgriFoodTech, Energy, HealthTech, Materials, and Pharma markets, with an emphasis on sustainable solutions and improving healthcare[1]. CPI's headquarters are in Redcar, North Yorkshire. Established in 2004 by the UK Government agency ONE NorthEast, the company was one of five centres of excellence in a long-term strategy to "reposition the North-East [of England] on the world stage for research and development".[2]

Role[edit]

CPI helps SMEs, entrepreneurs and companies to develop, prove, prototype and scale-up new products and processes by providing access to facilities, expertise and networks of public and private funders.

CPI is a founding partner in the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, a network of technology and innovation centres designed to transform the UK's capability for innovation in specific technology areas and markets to help drive future economic growth.[3]

It supports innovation in its market areas through expertise and facilities in different technological capabilities: biologics; biotechnology; digital and data; flexible hybrid electronics; formulation, materials and manufacturing; pharmaceutical processing; photonics; and printed electronics.[4]

A scientist in the biotherapeutics lab at CPI
A scientist in the biotherapeutics lab at CPI

Centres[edit]

The company has ten innovation facilities in northern England and one in Scotland:[5]

  • National Industrial Biotechnology Facility, Wilton, Redcar
  • Novel Food Innovation Centre, Wilton, Redcar
  • National Printable Electronics Centre, at NETPark, Sedgefield
  • National Formulation Centre, NETPark, Sedgefield
  • National Healthcare Photonics Centre, NETPark, Sedgefield
  • The Graphene Application Centre, NETPark, Sedgefield
  • Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre, NETPark, Sedgefield
  • National Biologics Manufacturing Centre, Darlington
  • The RNA Centre of Excellence, Darlington
  • The Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Glasgow

CPI announced plans to launch its Oligonucleotide Manufacturing Innovation Centre of Excellence in Glasgow after a multi-million-pound fund was announced in the 2023 Autumn Statement. The centre is expected to establish operations during 2024 and be completed in late 2025 [6].

Market areas served[edit]

CPI helps companies take their products and processes from idea to commercialisation in several different market areas, all of which are contributing to a more sustainable future.

AgriFoodTech[edit]

Sustainable agricultural and food technology including biological alternatives to traditional fertiliser and pesticide agrichemicals, smart farming digital technologies, and novel food technologies such as alternative proteins and cultured meat. To support the development of alternative proteins and novel foods for human consumption, CPI has opened the Novel Food Innovation Centre based in the Tees Valley at Wilton, Redcar [7]. CPI was awarded FSSC 22000 food safety certification by Foundation FSSC [8].


Energy[edit]

Alternatives to fossil fuels, such as gas fermentation for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), as well as battery technology and recycling, will improve sustainability, performance and longevity. CPI is a partner in three of the projects awarded a share of £27.6 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation’s Faraday Battery Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK in 2023. The projects aim to improve battery performance and sustainability, reduce costs, and develop more efficient and globally competitive manufacturing processes for electric vehicle batteries [9].


HealthTech[edit]

In vitro diagnostics, medical devices, smart technology and Internet of Things for medical use (Internet of Medical Things, IoMT) wearable technology for health monitoring. For example, CPI has partnered with telecommunications company Cellnex UK to develop a testbed for 5G networks within hospitals with the goal of improving lives [10]. CPI has also advocated for UK HealthTech manufacturing by producing a state of the industry report [11] and affirming the UK Government’s decision in 2023 to rejoin the Horizon Europe scientific research programme as an associate member [12].


Materials[edit]

Sustainable materials and chemicals, including composites, plastics, and polymers for applications in fashion, packaging, and textiles. CPI has a partnership with the National Composites Centre to develop sustainable composites [13] and helped Oceanium Ltd develop compostable bio-packaging from sustainably-farmed seaweed [14]. CPI also worked with Chestnut Bio [15] to produce bio-polymers and biodegradable plastic for forestry and planting to replace single-use plastic guards and cable ties [16].


Pharma[edit]

Pharmaceutical manufacturing, including small molecules, biologics and complex medicines involving the use of DNA or RNA such as antisense oligonucleotides, DNA aptamers, micro RNAs (miRNAs), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), ribozymes, RNA decoys, circular RNA (circRNA), and mRNA-based vaccines. Lipid nanoparticles for the delivery of mRNA-based vaccines, nanomedicine, and digital pharmaceutical manufacturing solutions such as the Digital Design Accelerator [17] and digital bioprocess modelling [18].

These pharmaceutical focus areas are structured around the ‘Grand Challenges’ business model of the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre [19], which was opened by CPI and other founding partners in 2022 [20]. In addition to this centre, CPI is a partner in the Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre, which focuses on lipid nanoparticle formulation development and nanomedicine delivery systems [21]. To support therapeutic RNA and oligonucleotide production, CPI opened the RNA Centre for Excellence in 2023 [22] and announced plans for the Oligonucleotide Manufacturing Innovation Centre of Excellence within the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), near Glasgow, Scotland [23].

COVID-19, the RNA Centre of Excellence, and RNA-based vaccines and therapeutics[edit]

As a member of the UK Government’s Vaccine Taskforce, CPI supported the development and production of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines [24]. In 2021, CPI was awarded £5 million to develop a new facility for rapidly producing mRNA vaccine candidates in response to new COVID variants [25]. With a further award of £10.65 million from the Vaccine Taskforce, administered by Innovate UK [26], CPI launched the RNA Centre of Excellence to develop treatments for cancer, flu vaccines and personalised medicines including gene therapy [27]. The funding also covered the formation of an RNA Training Academy. The RNA Centre of Excellence is currently the only site in the UK that can develop and manufacture RNA-based vaccines and therapeutics [28].

Funding[edit]

In 2011, CPI joined the UK Government's Catapult centres network.[29] It has also received funding from the European Regional Development Fund and the EU's Horizon 2020 programme.[30] Further funding through the Catapult network was announced in 2018.[31]

Investment[edit]

In 2020, CPI launched its venture capital and investor engagement arm [32], CPI Enterprises [33]. It has made twelve investments, with one exit after the company Nuformix scaled through to an initial public offering (IPO) [34].

CPI’s current portfolio includes QV Bioelectronics, which is developing an Electric Field Therapy implant to treat brain tumours such as glioblastoma [35], and BiologIC Technologies, a company that has invented a biocomputer to process cells, DNA, and biological reagents into therapies [36].

References[edit]

  1. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/markets
  2. ^ "Centres of excellence to take the region forward". The Northern Echo. 20 May 2003. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  3. ^ "High Value Manufacturing Catapult". CPI. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  4. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/technologies
  5. ^ "Our National Centres". CPI. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  6. ^ https://www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/news/189145/oligonucleotide-manufacturing-centre-to-open-in-scotland/
  7. ^ https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23814257.cpis-novel-food-innovation-centre-based-wilton-redcar/
  8. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/news/cpi-awarded-globally-recognised-certificate-for-food-safety
  9. ^ https://www.ukri.org/news/delivering-the-future-of-battery-technology/
  10. ^ https://www.cellnex.com/gb-en/news/cellnex-uk-partners-with-cpi-to-accelerate-healthtech-innovation-with-new-5g-testbed/
  11. ^ https://www.pathologyinpractice.com/story/43020/barriers-forcing-medical-technology-companies-to-move-overseas
  12. ^ https://www.med-technews.com/news/latest-medtech-news/positive-reaction-from-medtech-as-uk-rejoins-horizon/
  13. ^ https://www.nccuk.com/what-we-do/sustainability/suscom/
  14. ^ https://hvm.catapult.org.uk/case-study/developing-premium-sustainable-bio-packaging/
  15. ^ https://www.netzeronortheastengland.co.uk/case-studies/agriculture/chestnut-natural-capital-chestnut-bio-uses-plant-based-polymers-to-create-biodegradable-3d-printable-cable-ties-tree-guards-and-weed-suppressing-textile-matting
  16. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/case-studies/chestnut-bio
  17. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/case-studies/digital-design-accelerator
  18. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/news/cpi-to-develop-digital-bioprocess-modelling-techniques-to-help-bring-innovative-treatments-to-market-faster
  19. ^ https://www.strath.ac.uk/whystrathclyde/news/2022/medicinesmanufacturinginnovationcentreofficiallyopens/
  20. ^ https://www.insider.co.uk/news/new-medicine-manufacturing-centre-brings-28610622
  21. ^ https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/intracellular-drug-delivery-centre-rna/
  22. ^ https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/cpi-opens-ps264m-facility-emergency-preparedness-and-develop-rna-products
  23. ^ https://www.europeanpharmaceuticalreview.com/news/189145/oligonucleotide-manufacturing-centre-to-open-in-scotland/
  24. ^ https://hvm.catapult.org.uk/case-study/vaccine-taskforce/
  25. ^ https://www.lifesciencesipreview.com/big-pharma/cpi-receives-5m-from-uk-govt-for-vaccine-library-4386
  26. ^ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-injects-funding-boost-for-cutting-edge-vaccine-site-in-darlington
  27. ^ https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23027801.10m-funding-new-cpi-centre-darlington/
  28. ^ https://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/news/19547538.new-facility-darlington-cpi-lead-game-changing-covid-vaccine-research/
  29. ^ "High Value Manufacturing Catapult". Centre for Process Innovation. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012.
  30. ^ "Project Funding". CPI. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  31. ^ "Chancellor announces funding for Catapult network". UK Research and Innovation. 10 August 2018. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  32. ^ https://www.nepic.co.uk/blog/memberposts/cpi-launches-a-new-investor-engagement-and-ventures-arm-2/
  33. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/news/cpi-launches-a-new-investor-engagement-and-ventures-arm
  34. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/blog/our-cpi-enterprises-value-creation-process
  35. ^ https://www.alderleypark.co.uk/news/2023/6/26/cpi-enterprises-to-help-fund-innovative-medical-device-for-brain-tumours
  36. ^ https://www.uk-cpi.com/news/cpi-invests-in-biologic-technologies-to-advance-next-generation-bioprocess-innovation

External links[edit]

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