Biofoundry to 'turbocharge life-saving treatments'

The government says the investment will help develop treatments for many common illnesses

Patients battling illnesses such as cancer, heart conditions and dementia could see improvement in their treatment as a result of a funding boost, a health minister said.

A new facility in Darlington, called the UK RNA Biofoundry, will be backed by £29.6m from the government.

RNA therapies re-programme immune cells or tumour cells, teaching the body how to shut down illnesses, like certain types of cancer, more effectively, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Health minister Stephen Kinnock said they "hold extraordinary promise for patients battling some of our most devastating diseases".

He claimed the investment would help towards "turbocharging the development of life-changing treatments right here in the UK, as we deliver an NHS which is truly fit for the future".

"The biofoundry is a significant and early step in the delivery of the recently published life science sector plan, demonstrating commitment to invest at scale in life sciences manufacturing innovation," he said.

The specialised facility will act as a high-tech workshop for manufacturing RNA materials affordably, quickly and to the necessary clinical standard.

It could also be used for vaccine production in a future pandemic, although the government did not give any information about when it may open.

Science minister Lord Vallance called RNA therapies "a new frontier in healthcare".

"With their ability to re-programme our cells, and adapt to different diseases, they could be the answer to many treatments the British public are desperately in need of, tackling cancers, infectious diseases and more," he said.

"This new biofoundry will accelerate the journey RNA therapies take from labs to the markets, to give our innovators the best opportunities to turn their great ideas into the lifesaving treatments for our NHS patients, and faster."