The new centre will be hosted by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust at its Manufacturing & Innovation Hub in Seaton Delaval.

Works to manufacture the offsite components of the build have now begun in Merit’s Cramlington-based factory.

The Medicines Manufacturing Centre will produce chemotherapy treatments for patients and will serve the North East and North Cumbria. The facility will also supply a range of injectable medicines, as well as ‘pre-labelled’ medicines to help support local hospital teams as patients are discharged home.

The centre will include the provision of Grade B and Grade C cleanrooms, production areas, Quality Control (QC) laboratories as well as admin and welfare facilities.

Merit will utilise its FLEXI POD fit-out product-based approach to deliver the centre which will allow for completion by September 2025.

Tony Wells, CEO at Merit, said: “Our team will be applying our vast expertise in the design of sterile manufacturing facilities in order to bring this facility in operation quicker, so that life-saving treatments can be manufactured earlier to serve patients across the North East and North Cumbria.”