The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced a £17.9m ($22.7m) investment in the Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre Network (ATTC Network) to enhance the UK's clinical trial infrastructure.

This initiative aims to enhance the country’s environment for advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) clinical trials.

The funding will support the ATTC Network for a further four years and will be overseen by Innovate UK, with Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) coordinating the ATTC Network.

ATMPs are therapeutics such as gene therapies, cell therapies and tissue-engineered products.

The ATTC Network presently comprises Innovate Manchester Advanced Therapy Centre Hub, Midlands-Wales Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre and the Northern Alliance Advanced Therapies Treatment Centre.

The UK's prominence in ATMP clinical research is significant, hosting 175 ongoing trials and accounting for 9% of ATMP trials worldwide.

With many more products in the development pipeline, there is a pressing need to ensure that the UK National Health Service (NHS) can deliver these advanced therapies to patients across the UK on a larger scale.

The latest funding will build on the existing work of the ATTC network, in conjunction with NIHR infrastructure and devolved equivalents, to improve clinical trial readiness.

This collaborative effort is intended to solidify the UK’s global appeal as a destination for clinical research in the field of advanced therapies.

Backed by the UK Department of Health and Social Care, the NIHR funds, enables and delivers health and social care research.

UK Health Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “This investment reaffirms the UK’s position as a global leader in clinical research.

“It will help roll out revolutionary medical products more quickly, potentially treating the root cause of disorders and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.

“Harnessing technological and digital innovations is one of our primary focuses under the first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, enabling new and advanced ways of working.”