Upperton Pharma Solutions has been awarded Pharma Project of the Year – Large – at the Pharma Industry Awards UK 2024, held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham on Wednesday 18 September. The prestigious event celebrated excellence across the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, recognising achievements in various categories.
Upperton clinched the award against notable finalists Sanofi and Bouygues Energies & Services for the build, commission and validation of its 50,000ft² Trent Gateway development and manufacturing facility. The project was praised for its exceptional project management, strategic collaborations with UK supply chains, and the remarkable speed of its completion—taking just ten months from start to finish.
The Trent Gateway facility marks a significant expansion for Upperton, incorporating ten good manufacturing practice (GMP) manufacturing suites, as well as quality control laboratories, dedicated analytical and formulation development labs, and pilot plant facilities. This state-of-the-art facility positions Upperton to meet the growing demands of its clients and advance its services in the pharmaceutical development space.
Ian Lafferty, chief technical officer and project lead for Trent Gateway, praised the team’s efforts, stating: “This award is the culmination of 18 months of hard work by our team and design and build vendor, T-Squared. To build a facility of this quality within ten months is an outstanding achievement. To then validate, commission and receive MHRA Approval provided us with a platform to develop and manufacture on a new scale for our customers.”
Nikki Whitfield, chief executive officer of Upperton, expressed pride in the achievement: “To be recognised for our Trent Gateway facility is an outstanding achievement. The state-of-the-art facility satisfies our increasing customer demand and extends our service offering further along the drug development pathway. The facility meets our clients’ requirements from a complexity, scale, and potency perspective, whilst adhering to all the necessary regulatory requirements. The dedication and attention to detail of our team have allowed us to elevate our services while working with the best talent in the Midlands and the wider sector. This facility is a testament to our commitment to growth and innovation.”
The Pharma Project of the Year award is a recognition of Upperton’s forward-thinking approach to working with UK supply chains and its ability to deliver state-of-the-art solutions for drug development and manufacturing.
The Trent Gateway facility is equipped to develop and manufacture a wide range of dosage forms, including oral solid dosage forms, liquids, semi-solids, nasal, and inhaled products. It supports early-stage formulation development and provides clinical trial supplies from Phase I to Phase III. The facility’s GMP layout, equipment, and containment capabilities are designed to accommodate larger-scale process trains, supporting batch scales of up to 250kg.