A LEADING drug development and manufacturing company is staying on Teesside after finding new laboratory space.

Staff working for the biocatalysis division of Piramal Healthcare had feared that, after 20 years, they may have had to leave the area when their lease ran out at their former ICI site in Billingham.

But now they are settling into the Wilton Centre’s fully-serviced laboratory complex between Middlesbrough and Redcar.

Robert Holt, director of Biocatalysis, said: “Having access to services such as waste-handling, safety infrastructure, library facilities, meeting rooms, restaurant and conferencing facilities is all highly advantageous.

“Being close to CPI’s National Industrial Biotechnology Facility, which is also based at the Wilton Centre, is a nice bonus as there is likely to be considerable synergy between what we both do.”

Piramal Healthcare is an integrated pharmaceutical company involved in drug discovery, drug development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical products.

Its biocatalysis division originated in ICI Billingham as part of its pharmaceutical activities.

However, as the company fragmented, the division evolved through Zeneca and Avecia before being bought by Piramal Healthcare in 2005.

The sale was smoothed by an agreement that allowed them to stay at Billingham for two years, but it was the termination of that agreement that prompted the search for new premises.

Steve Duffield, Wilton accommodation manager, said the site and its amenities were designed with companies like Piramal Healthcare in mind.