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A new UK Life Sciences Super Cluster, backed by £1m of government investment, will help deliver the next generation of medicines and technologies needed to support people suffering from chronic diseases.

At its heart will be the creation of Therapeutic Capability Clusters, which will act as one-stop-shops for the UK?s top research in specific fields. Bringing together academic and NHS centres of excellence, the Clusters will work with industry to harness the UK?s expert capabilities and work on early stage clinical development and experimental medicine.

The new Life Sciences Super Cluster will be kick-started later this year with a pilot in immunology and inflammation, focusing on areas such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

The announcement caps off a year of action for UK life sciences. In July 2009, the Office for Life Sciences published the Life Sciences Blueprint, which set out an ambitious and comprehensive set of measures to transform the UK operating environment.

?Our Life Sciences industry is exactly the type of high-tech, high-value industry where Britain has real strengths and the potential for growth in the future,? said Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Lord Mandelson.

?The Government has demonstrated that we are prepared to take real action to support Life Sciences and this is already having an impact on investment decisions, but this is just the beginning. We will maintain this momentum and continue to build a thriving environment for UK Life Science.?