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From Oxfordshire to Wales: Where UK Life Sciences Investment Is Going in 2026

Cambridge is one of several UK life sciences hubs attracting new investment in R&D, manufacturing and biopharma infrastructure.

Cambridge is one of several UK life sciences hubs attracting new investment in R&D, manufacturing and biopharma infrastructure.

From clinical cleanrooms in Birmingham to mRNA manufacturing in Oxfordshire, new investment is adding research and production capacity across the UK life sciences sector.

The UK life sciences sector generates approximately $200 billion (£147 billion) in annual turnover and employs around 360,000 people. Nearly half of these jobs are located outside London, the East and South East of England.

In July 2026, the UK government reported that the country had attracted more than $4.1 billion (£3 billion) in public-private life sciences investment over the previous 12 months.

Pharma Investment Reaches Cambridge, Oxfordshire and Surrey

AstraZeneca is investing approximately $408 million (£300 million) across its Cambridge headquarters and Macclesfield operations, including work using AI in drug discovery.

Moderna has also opened its Innovation and Technology Centre at Harwell in Oxfordshire as part of its 10-year, around $1.36 billion (£1 billion) UK R&D commitment. The site combines clinical R&D with mRNA drug substance manufacturing and has capacity to produce up to 100 million vaccine doses during endemic periods, rising to 250 million during a pandemic.

Around $680 million (£500 million) is being invested in UCB’s new R&D and biologics manufacturing facility in Windlesham. The project is expected to support up to 240 jobs.

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Manufacturing Investment Extends Across the UK

In April 2026, the UK government announced more than $109 million (£80 million) in investment across several life sciences manufacturing projects.

Accord Healthcare is investing more than $61 million (£45 million) in Barnstaple, North Devon, to increase local production of newer medicines, including treatments for bipolar disorder, while maintaining its generic medicine operations.

In Birmingham, approximately $13.6 million (£10 million) is going toward a near-patient biomanufacturing facility at the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator. The site will include three cleanrooms for medicines, vaccines and clinical trial materials, including cell and gene therapies and mRNA vaccines.

In Wales, specialty pharmaceutical company Norgine is investing more than $27 million (£20 million) at its Hengoed site to expand production of gastrointestinal medicines and upgrade manufacturing capacity.

Public investment is also being used to bring in private capital. The government says around $156 million (£115 million) allocated through the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund has helped secure more than $894 million (£657 million) in private investment across 10 projects. Those projects are expected to create 487 jobs and safeguard another 1,330.

In August 2026, the UK government released eligibility rules for its Life Sciences Large Investment Portfolio to encourage major life sciences projects in the country. To qualify for support, companies must plan to invest at least $340 million (£250 million) in UK-based R&D or manufacturing over three years, with at least one eligible project beginning within 12 months.


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