AstraZeneca is to invest £150 million into its Macclesfield campus.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Wednesday, April 29, that the UK's leading biopharmaceutical company has made a £300 million commitment to life sciences in the UK.

This follows a new UK-US pharmaceutical agreement and will help to secure thousands of high-quality jobs.

Around half of the funding will be spent here in Macclesfield, with plans to upgrade existing facilities and build a new high-tech 'lab of the future'.

Macclesfield MP Tim Roca welcomed the news, saying: "This is fantastic news for Macclesfield and a strong vote of confidence in our town, our workforce, and the UK's world-leading life sciences sector.

"I have been working closely with the Government and AstraZeneca, and lobbying to help get this investment over the line.

"I have also been working with GMB union representatives to ensure that the voices of the workforce are heard throughout this process.

"This is a major boost for our local economy and demonstrates that Macclesfield continues to play a vital role in the UK's scientific and industrial success."

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Macclesfield MP Tim Roca has welcomed AstraZeneca's investment (Credit: Tim Roca MP)

AstraZeneca's decision marks a reversal of previously paused UK investment plans.

Mr Roca feels this reflects renewed confidence in the UK's life sciences sector.

He added: "I will continue working with AstraZeneca, local stakeholders and trade unions to ensure this investment delivers long-term benefits for our community."

Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca CEO, said: "We would like to thank the British Government for their efforts to improve access for patients, including four new approvals since the beginning of the year across the UK.

"And we look forward to further enhancing the access and the reimbursement environment and build a strong life sciences sector.

"I'm very happy to share today that we look forward to completing the construction of the Rosalind Franklin building on the Cambridge biomedical campus.

"We are investing a total of £300 million in the UK, which includes investment in our Macclesfield site, including a lab of the future that will use digital and data tools to advance drug development."

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