Sia Life Sciences expands UK footprint four-fold at Alderley Park

• India-headquartered molecular research specialists scale UK R&D capabilities in North West
• Expansion follows rapid business growth – with >50 new hires over the last two years

One of the fastest growing global contract research, development and manufacturing (CRO-CDMO) businesses, Sai Life Sciences, has expanded its existing base at Alderley Park – part of Bruntwood SciTech’s national network of innovation districts – in response to continuing growth.

With a four-fold increase in floor space from 5,000 to 20,000 sq. ft over the last 2 years, Sai Life Sciences’ expansion within the Park’s Mereside Campus includes the addition of a new chemistry and analytical lab, as well as an increase in its fume cupboard provision from 24 to 80. Other capability additions include Integrity 10 parallel screening tool, Open Access GCMS, Open Access Chiral HPLC, Open Access 400 MHz NMR, physical properties analytical equipment (DSC/TGA, XRPD, PSD) and LCMS with accurate mass.

The full-service CRO-CDMO – which works globally with innovative biotech and pharma companies to accelerate the discovery, development and manufacture of complex small molecules for the creation of new medicines –moved to Alderley Park in 2020 to establish its first European hub. Sai Life Sciences’ Alderley Park site has since grown to become a reliable partner to many innovator companies across the world, providing high quality chemistry, non GMP delivery, and successful technology transfer to its sites in India for scale-up. Currently, work is underway to also set-up a GMP Kilo Lab at the site by Q4 2022.

Dr Kath Mackay, Director of Life Sciences at Bruntwood SciTech, a partnership between property company Bruntwood and Legal & General, said: “Sai Life Sciences’ rapid expansion since first establishing its European presence here demonstrates just how much of a hotbed Alderley Park, and the UK more broadly, is for high-growth life sciences businesses. Meeting the very real demand that our companies have for grow-on space is something we are committed to meeting, and is why we’re focused on continuing to invest in our lab provision across our network.

“Sai Life Sciences’ expansion also speaks to the value in joining an established, thriving knowledge ecosystem. We see time and again the power in being located within a cluster like Alderley Park – particularly when entering a new market from overseas.”

Tuneer Ghosh, Senior Vice President and Head of CMC Business Development at Sai Life Sciences, said: “Our further UK expansion is testament to the strength of the life science community at Alderley Park. With a growing interest from innovator companies across the UK, Europe and US, this expansion in our facilities along with our top-notch scientific team, will help us better serve the growing demand for high quality process chemistry.”