We look forward to using the Braintree facility to provide the UK with additional long-term capabilities for cell and gene therapy innovation. The events of the past year have shown the true strength of the UK cell and gene therapy industry. Even with disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, expansion in this sector was significant. This was demonstrated by the UK GMP manufacturing space for cell and gene therapies increasing by 48% in 2020. The industry is certainly on its way to achieving and indeed exceeding the anticipated 4,000 jobs and £2bn in revenue by 2025. Read the Chairman’s statement Read the Chairman’s statement Dr John Brown CBE, FRSE, Chairman Chairman’s statement The events of the past year have shown the true strength of the UK cell and gene therapy industry. Even with disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, expansion in this sector was significant. This was demonstrated by the UK GMP manufacturing space for cell and gene therapies increasing by 48% in 2020. The industry is certainly on its way to achieving and indeed exceeding the anticipated 4,000 jobs and £2bn in revenue by 2025. We have seen an increase in the UK manufacturing footprint and number of clinical trials including in the cell and gene therapy cluster around Stevenage. Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) has been able to support these developments in the production and commercialisation of transformative therapies. The Stevenage advanced therapies campus, this year named a High Potential Opportunity Zone by the Department for International Trade in recognition of its thriving cell and gene therapy activities, we believe will bring even further opportunities for growth. The CGT Catapult is having a growing impact across the sector thanks to the continued support of the UK Government. The CGT Catapult received £127m grant funding to setup a facility in Braintree to increase the UK preparedness for pandemics and increase innovation in vaccine and cell and gene therapies manufacturing. We look forward to using this facility to provide the UK with additional long-term capabilities for cell and gene therapy manufacturing innovation. I would like to thank all our partners from Government, industry, and academia for their invaluable contribution to the growth and strength of the industry. I would also like to thank the CGT Catapult team, who have done a tremendous job to support the industry throughout the last year as we embrace new ways of working. Chief Executive Officer’s statement We have continued to make significant progress, including increasing our manufacturing innovation capabilities with the establishment of a new facility in Braintree. Through all of the adversities of the last year we have driven and enabled national and international investment into the UK cell and gene therapy industry. Our collaborations with the UK research sector have accelerated promising research into commercial development. We have established the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network to up-skill the industry’s and the vaccine industry’s existing workforce and attract new talent. As a result of our collaborations in London and Stevenage, we have seen greater national and international investment into advanced therapy manufacturing than ever before. The Advanced Therapies Treatment Centres are increasing the NHS readiness and robustness necessary to reliably and cost effectively bring these life changing therapies to more patients. As a result of the increased demand for collaboration our team has increased by over a third to 370 experts. After such a challenging year I would like to thank every one of them for their persistence and achievement. We are excited for the year ahead, particularly as the UK emerges from the pandemic. It has been extremely rewarding to work so closely with the industry through this year, and we look forward to leveraging our new partnerships and connections to accelerate a thriving UK industry which is delivering advanced therapies to the world.