£80 million has been announced for UK life sciences in a bid to give patients better access to medicines.

These investments come from the government’s Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF) and will support over 500 jobs.

This announcement takes the amount invested so far this year in UK life sciences to £600 million.

The money will strengthen regional clusters, create new career opportunities across the country and help forge a new era for UK life sciences, which is on track to be boosted by £1 billion through the Fund by the summer.

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: "By manufacturing more medicines in this country we can make sure more people get the vital treatments they need. These investments will make a real difference to people across the country and show our Life Sciences Sector Plan is bearing fruit.

"We are delivering the advanced treatments that patients need, growing our economy, and creating and protecting highly skilled jobs for people across the UK."

Dr Zubir Ahmed, Health Innovation and Safety Minister, said: "I have seen first-hand the difference latest treatments can make to a patient’s life. These investments mean more people living with conditions like bipolar disorder will benefit from cutting-edge medicines - developed and manufactured right here in Britain.

"This is the Life Sciences Sector Plan and 10 Year Health Plan in action - giving confidence to medical innovators across the globe to deliver, scale and grow in the UK, creating highly skilled, well paid jobs and strengthening our medical supply chains in the process."