Manchester Science Park’s Skelton House let to molecular diagnostic company
Yourgene Health has taken all 43,000 sq ft of the building, which is owned by Bruntwood SciTech.
Yourgene develops, manufactures and commercialises different ways of using molecular diagnostic technology. During the height of the pandemic, the group developed its own PCR antigen testing method to help diagnose people sick with Covid-19.
The company got its start at Manchester Science Park in 2014. At the time, Yourgene only had two employees. Now, it has 200 and most recently occupied two offices at Manchester Science Park and at Citylabs 1.0 with a total of 22,000 sq ft.
Skelton House will see those two offices combine and provide space for growth.
Yourgene Health’s new premises. Credit: via Citypress
Lyn Rees, chief executive of Yourgene, said: “Our previous home in Citylabs has been fantastic for the growth of Yourgene and we are excited to now be building on this success and to consolidate our offices and laboratories into one central, global headquarters from which we can continue to innovate and make a difference.
“The Bruntwood SciTech network has been central to our journey from conception and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with our partners within its campuses, both and across the UK.”
Bruntwood SciTech director of life sciences, Kath Mackay, described Yourgene as “a true success story for Manchester’s life science sector”.
She said: “We’re proud of the role we continue to play in the company’s growth. Its team has worked in partnership with others within the Bruntwood SciTech network for years and it was this collaboration which led to its merger and ultimate expansion…
“The evolutionary relationship we have with our customers is also evident in the fact that global diagnostics company, QIAGEN have made way for Yourgene – handing over its former space after they too expanded and moved into the Global Hub for Precision Medicine in Citylabs 2.0 last year.”
Yourgene employees in the lab. Credit: via Citypress
At Manchester Science Park, Yourgene employees will be part of a community of 150 start-ups. They will also have access to various amenities, including meeting spaces, a gym studio, café, and cycle storage.
Manchester Science Park is in the midst of expanding to 1m sq ft, offering more spaces for start-ups and labs to work. The most recent part of this masterplan was the opening of the £21m Base, which is 91,000 sq ft.
Bruntwood SciTech is a 50:50 joint venture between Bruntwood and Legal & General. The company maintains a portfolio of more than 2.4m sq ft. This includes Alderley Park in Cheshire, Innovation Birmingham, and Circle Square in Manchester.
Bruntwood SciTech boasts a 5m sq ft development pipeline, which includes the £1.5bn innovation district ID Manchester.
