More than 100 science jobs will be created after a drug development company announced it will be opening a new research and development centre at Astra Zeneca’s Alderley Park site.

Liverpool-based Redx Pharma's new venture will create 120 jobs at the site, with a further 28 specialist roles expected to be created within the wider supply chain.

The site is owned and operated by AZ, which announced in March it is vacating the base and moving its research team to Cambridge.

More than 1,000 jobs are heading south and a further to the company’ssite on Hurdsfield inustrial estate.

Redx Pharma will begin operations at the end of April to develop drugs combating resistance to antibiotics and new medicines to tackle viral infections. 

A particular focus will be hard to treat infections such as resistant super bugs like MRSA, as well as conditions such as influenza, Hepatitis C and HIV.

The firm has received a £4.7m grant from the government's Regional Growth Fund and has also undergone a successful £6m fundraising round brokered by Manchester-based Acceleris Corporate Finance.

Macclesfield MP David Rutley welcomed the news.

He said: “This will be very encouraging for many more companies. What I’ve found when speaking to other MPs is that in these situations there are normally a number of spin off companies that are formed by people who are looking to build their own businesses.

“We saw this when Astra Zenica left Charnwood.  We want to create the right environment to attract new businesses and those people who want to start up on their own.”

Clive Morris, AstraZeneca, vice president, research and development, said: “We are delighted to welcome Redx to Alderley Park, which is an important first step in our ambition to secure a sustainable future for the site.

“We will continue to seek further opportunities to attract other innovation-driven companies and, wherever possible, build on the existing bioscience expertise and world class facilities available at Alderley Park.”

Dr Neil Murray, chief executive of Redx Pharma, said: “Whilst our headquarters remain in Liverpool and we have ambitious plans to grow our business and create high value science posts in the city, at the same time we recognise that the facilities at Alderley Park are world class and enable us to move quickly in expanding this key new part of our business.

“We will be working closely with our colleagues at AstraZeneca, who made a compelling commercial case to attract us to Alderley Park.”

Council leader Michael Jones, who is on the task force, said: “This is a statement of confidence in the future of Alderley Park. This shows that by working in partnership with Government, the region’s scientific community and life-science businesses we can really maximise the potential of Alderley Park and build on the area’s rich scientific heritage. This is just the start of a bigger and brighter future for the site.”