THE man responsible for delivering a new £350million factory where medicines of the future will be discovered will give an insight into the project at a public lecture next month.

Pat McIver has been invited by Barrow and District Association of Engineers (BDAE) to talk about GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK’s) planned state-of-the-art biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Ulverston.

Mr McIver, GSKs Site Biopharm Lead, is in charge of the project, which could see the creation of around 500 permanent high-tech jobs.

Inside the factory, scientists will create and deliver advanced medicines to treat a wide range of diseases including cancer, autoimmune and hereditary ailments. Biopharmaceutical products now account for about one in six of all medicines.

Mike Kittley, of BDAE, said the factory will be the first GSK manufacturing facility to be built in the UK for almost 40 years.

“GSK has consulted widely on its plans for the proposed new facility, which puts Cumbria at the forefront of science engineering and could create many graduate jobs.

“The site at Ulverston has been in operation since 1948 and it will be fantastic to hear first-hand how the company is focusing on the future of medicines for the benefit of people worldwide.”

Construction is planned to start in 2015 and the plant is likely to take six years to become fully operational.

The free talk, which is the final lecture in BDAE’s season, will be held next Thursday, April 17 in the Studio at The Forum in Barrow from 7.30pm, following a short annual general meeting. All are welcome. Details of all local lectures can be found on the BDAE website www.bdae.org.uk