Advanced Therapies Manufacturing Taskforce Delivery of the Action Plan

The Advanced Therapies Manufacturing Taskforce (ATMT) was formed in January 2016 following a proposal to the Ministerial Industrial Strategy Group (MISG) by the Medicine Manufacturing Industrial Partnership (MMIP). This proposal was that a “task and finish” group should be formed; co-chaired by George Freeman, then the Minister for Life Sciences and Ian McCubbin, Chair of MMIP. This Taskforce was charged with defining the conditions necessary to “anchor” commercial scale manufacturing of ATMP’s in the UK. The Advanced Therapies Manufacturing Action Plan was published in November 2016 with six key actions. Whilst very significant progress has been made with these actions much has still to be done, and one year on, this paper will document the transition of actions from the Taskforce to “business as usual” mechanisms, to ensure that there is secure closure and continuity where necessary as the Taskforce comes to an end.