Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team
17 November 2003
Groundbreaking Report Aims to Secure UK Leadership in Global Biosciences
The Prime Minister launched a wide-ranging report by the Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team (BIGT) at the CBI National Conference today, aimed at ensuring the UK retains its world leadership in bioscience.
The BIGT, chaired by Sir David Cooksey of Advent Ventures, is the biggest policy review of the sector to date and follows months of consultation with more than 70 leading industry figures. The report, with a foreword by the Prime Minister, says the UK must act now to secure its leading position as other countries recognise the value of a vibrant bioscience sector.
Key recommendations include:
§ Creation of a National Clinical Trials Agency using Britain’s unique National Health Service to speed up the approval and acceptance of breakthrough treatments and bring them to patients as quickly as possible
§ Improvements to the UK’s regulatory environment to ensure fast approval times and accelerate the use of treatments in areas where there is major medical need
§ Legislation to deal with animal extremism, which threatens to block the development of important medicines
§ Initiatives to encourage the creation of UK biotechnology companies with global scale and critical mass, such as boosting liquidity by changing pre-emption guidelines and extending the Corporate Venturing Scheme
§ Measures to support the UK’s position as Europe’s leading financial centre for the funding of biosciences and to encourage London’s role as the centre of a pan-European stock exchange
§ Creation of a network of bioprocessing centres across the UK able to meet the growing global demand for manufacturing biology-based drugs to the highest standards
A Bioscience Leadership Council will be set up to oversee implementation of the recommendations and provide a forum for further initiatives. The Council will be lead by Sir Richard Sykes, Rector of Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, and former Chief Executive of GlaxoWellcome.
The UK is already a global leader in biosciences, second only to the US, with 18 profitable bioscience companies and over 40 marketed products. The industry employs more than 25,000 people and generates revenues of over £3 billion a year. British biotechnology companies account for 43% of all biotechnology drugs in advanced clinical trials in Europe.
In a foreword to the report, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair MP, said, “The bioscience industry is a British success story. We must ensure that the flow of new companies continues, but also work on improving the long-term viability and strength of these companies so they can grow into global, profitable businesses. I wholeheartedly welcome this report and the cooperation between Government departments, the bioscience industry and other experts which made it possible.”
Aisling Burnand, Chief Executive of the BIA, said: “Today’s report recognises the importance of biosciences to the UK, in terms of improved health, a better quality of life for all and as an engine for wealth creation. The BIA looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that the recommendations in this excellent report are implemented and that the UK remains one of the best and most innovative places in the world for scientific research, development and manufacturing.”
Click here for the report.
For further information please contact The Department of Trade and Industry or Laura Gilbert at the BIA.
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