BIA update - 18 August 2025
What the Industrial Strategy and Digital Technologies Sector Plan mean for UK life sciences
In the third part of a series on new government policy, Lewis Miles and Maddie Cass provide a deep dive into the Industrial Strategy and the Digital and Technologies Sector Plan. They analyse how these policies aim to foster growth in the UK's life sciences and engineering biology sectors through new funding commitments, infrastructure development, and a renewed focus on regulation.
Jane Wall
Managing Director, BIA
Monitoring US policy
News has continued to flow on US life sciences policy developments over the summer, and the team at BIA has been keeping a close eye on them and their potential ramifications for the UK life sciences ecosystem. In early August, President Trump confirmed his intention to introduce tariffs on imported medicines, starting small but rising sharply to as much as 250% within 18 months. News reports have suggested the UK and possibly Europe will be treated more favourably, but overall there’s a clear drive to attract pharmaceutical manufacturing back onshore in the US. Alongside this, the FDA has launched its new PreCheck programme, designed to fast-track the approval of domestic manufacturing facilities and illuminate the regulatory framework. However, we’ve also seen mRNA research and regulatory approvals disrupted and Nasdaq has now gone six months without an IPO.
What’s clear to us is that the fundamentals of the UK ecosystem are incredibly strong. As we noted in our recent biotech financing update, raises from Draig Therapeutics and CellCentric demonstrate our sector’s continued ability to attract substantial investment. MSD’s £10 billion acquisition of Verona and Sanofi’s acquisition of Vicebio for $1.15 billion, both this month, show that global pharmaceutical companies continue to look to the UK’s innovative life science ecosystem to acquire future products.
BIO delegation coming to the UK
We are delighted to be hosting our US sister trade association, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), in London in September. We look forward to welcoming BIO's President and CEO, John Crowley, and colleagues as they connect with the thriving UK ecosystem and policymakers.
We will be co-hosting an evening networking reception with them in Westminster on Wednesday, 3 September 2025, providing a unique opportunity for our members to forge new transatlantic partnerships and discuss the latest challenges and opportunities with key stakeholders from across politics and industry. Invites will be going out to member CEOs shortly, so please keep a look out.
Honouring Gordon Sanghera’s leadership
We want to take a moment to acknowledge Gordon Sanghera’s contribution as Co-Founder and long-standing CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, as he announces he will be stepping down at the end of 2026. Gordon moved the company from university spin-out to FTSE 250 success. His legacy shows all of us what is possible to achieve in the UK life sciences arena.
Nominations open for board elections
Nominations are open for five new places on the BIA Board of Directors. The board provides essential governance and direction, ensuring we represent the diverse interests of our industry. If you have the skills and motivation to help steer BIA, please consider putting your name forward.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, 12 September 2025. See more details and eligibility requirements.
Charity Partnership of the Year 2026
A reminder that applications are now open for our 2026 charity partnership. This is an opportunity for a UK-based charity to collaborate with our members, raising funds and increasing awareness for their cause in the process. The deadline to apply is Sunday, 7 September 2025.
