Following a visit in April by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, local MP, David Rutley, joined the Macclesfield AstraZeneca team to mark the completion of the construction phase of a new multi-million pound advanced medicine manufacturing facility.

During his COVID secure visit, Mr Rutley met representatives of the 325-strong construction and engineering teams who have been involved in the project so far.

The new state-of-the-art facility will eventually replace older assets on the site and will provide the capacity needed to meet rising global demand for AstraZeneca’s oncology medicine Zoladex, a drug used to treat patients with prostate cancer, breast cancer and gynaecological disorders.

Chris Maddock, Macclesfield Campus Lead said: “The AZ team and our partners have come together brilliantly over the past two years, working over 500,000 person hours to date.  We are incredibly proud that Macclesfield is the home of Zoladex manufacturing, a complex medicine that continues to help millions of patients around the world.  The new facility means we will be able to help even more.”

David Rutley MP said:  “Congratulations to everyone involved at AZ,  and to their construction and engineering partners, who have reached this important milestone for the new manufacturing facility in the most challenging of circumstances. This is good news for all those work at the Macclesfield site, the local economy and for many patients throughout the world.”