BIA update – 27 April 2026

It has been an extremely challenging time for biotech post COVID-19 boom, but our Q1 financing report offers hope with continued positive momentum and a broader distribution of capital, with the UK retaining our top spot in Europe. Meanwhile, new clinical trials legislation will come into effect tomorrow (28 April), marking the biggest (and long-awaited) change to the regulations in over 20 years.

We’re reflecting on an epic inaugural BioSolutions UK conference last week and a hugely informative webinar with EuropaBio to update us on the Biotech Act and its impact on UK companies. We’re also looking ahead to Swiss Biotech Days, BioEquity – and to Chris Molloy taking up his role as CEO of the BioIndustry Association (BIA) on Tuesday 5 May.

Jane Wall
Managing Director, BIA

Q1 financing report

Today sees the launch of our Q1 2026 finance report, which I am relieved to say reports those green shoots that started showing end of 2025 grow into a more sustained and healthier shift in market dynamics. While headline figures often fluctuate based on the presence of a few megadeals, the underlying story of Q1 is one of accelerating momentum and a broader distribution of capital across the UK’s innovative ecosystem.

Building directly on the more positive trend seen at the end of last year, total venture capital raised in the UK increased by 17% quarter-on-quarter, rising from £442 million in Q4 2025 to £516 million in the opening months of 2026. This trajectory is matched by an increase in activity levels; we recorded 25 venture transactions this quarter, a 67% increase in deal volume compared to the same period last year. We have also retained Europe’s top spot, securing 57% of all European biotech venture capital this quarter.

As we move further into 2026, we must push to ensure that domestic capital follows the lead of our global peers to fully unlock the value of UK innovation and that the Government delivers its broader commitments through the Life Sciences Sector Plan.

A word on Biobank

It’s fair to say that we were all disheartened to see the news on UK Biobank dis-identified data being found up for sale. We will be tackling health data in much depth in the coming weeks, so I will refrain from detail here, but, to quote Naomi Allen, Chief Scientist at UK Biobank in an article over the weekend:

The most secure data set is one that’s locked away and is never used […] We want to make rapid progress into the causes and treatments of disease. It’s a balance between making the data available and advancing science versus ensuring the security of the data [...] There is a risk in sharing data, but also in not sharing it.

Clinical trial reforms

New clinical trials legislation will come into effect tomorrow (28 April), marking the biggest change to the regulations in over 20 years. The changes will enable faster assessment of first-in-human clinical trials, simpler approaches for low-risk trials, and greater transparency. These changes have been discussed for many years and it is great to see them now being implemented. The new legislation is accompanied by new guidance from the MHRA and HRA, which you can access here. 

Continuing to build ever-stronger links with Europe
 

Many thanks to Claire Skentelberry, Director General at EuropaBio for the extremely informative BIA member webinar this afternoon on the EU Biotech Act – an important step in shaping Europe’s biotechnology landscape – and what it means in practice for UK life sciences companies. This webinar explored the first phase of the EU Biotech Act, focusing on clinical trials, investment and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) and looked ahead to what may come in a second phase.  We also heard about how the Act interacts with other major EU files, including the pharma package, the Critical Medicines Act and the Industrial Accelerator Act.

Last week we welcomed Claire and many other European stakeholders to the inaugural BioSolutions UK which convened over 200 innovators, policymakers and industry leaders alongside an additional 29 investors around a shared goal: deploying biology to deliver a sustainable and secure future.

A huge thank you to our strategic partners and exhibitors for helping make the first conference such a success. In particular I would like to thank Sofie Carston Nielsen and Pernille Rype Ellie from the European Biosolutions Coalition, Sasan Fouladi-Pour from the Department for Business and Trade and Bristol University – all strategic supporters who helped us to get the conference off of the ground. If you’re interested in sponsoring BioSolutions UK 2027, please contact Natalie Garrett.

I’m looking forward to joining Swiss Biotech Day in Basel on 4-5 May – a great opportunity to connect with European partners, exchange ideas and explore advances.  BIA is supporting the UK Pavilion alongside Medicines Discovery Catapult and Department for Business and Trade and I’m looking forward to taking part in a session on Engineering Biology: Practical Pathways for Cross‑Border Collaboration, 2pm in the Global Village main stage.

In parallel, Martin Turner will be at BioEquity in Prague – a distinct partnering-focused meeting that brings together biotech leaders, investors and strategic partners, and an important opportunity to continue conversations on European capital, collaboration and deal-making.

Together with IBioIC, we’re inviting our members to become part of the UK delegation and exhibition stand attending Bio Innovations Europe (previously World Bio Markets) on 10 – 11 June in The Hague, Netherlands. Alongside DBT who will be running a wider trade mission, Bio Innovations Europe is a two-day business development event dedicated to scaling industrial biomanufacturing in Europe. Get in touch with us at [email protected] to find out more.

Women in Biotech in Macclesfield

I’m looking forward to our next Women in Biotech event on 13 May – this time in Alderley Park Macclesfield.

We’ll be discussing with our panel how they have managed organisational change and how they have built the tools, flex and resilience to deal with upheaval and transformation.

As leaders, the pressure is on to adapt, to communicate change and to demonstrate empathy whilst ensuring that organisations are sustainable and reaching their objectives. The job has never been more challenging. Join us for an inspiring evening of insight, meaningful connections, and high-quality networking with industry leaders in a welcoming space dedicated to empowering women in biotech.

NB: Allyship is something we fully appreciate and this event is open to all.  

Lifeline

Last week, the BIA team sat alongside many of our life sciences colleagues to enjoy Lifeline – a musical on Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming and the anti-microbial resistance (AMR) issues we are facing today. We were delighted to see our very own Maddy Anderson star in the production that highlighted AMR front-and-centre as one of the biggest global challenges we face.

Biomanufacturing directory and baseline report

We are planning to pull together a biomanufacturing directory and baseline report, detailing and mapping the UK’s capabilities in contract medicines manufacturing (CDMOs and CROs). There is no such resource available currently and would like to invite relevant licenced organisations to take part. We anticipate this will serve many purposes, in particular:

• Promoting the UK offering through an easy to search directory where UK and overseas therapy developers can identify and select UK CDMOs and CROs across all medicine types to work with.
• Assisting the Office for Life Sciences and other Government departments in their pandemic preparedness and health resilience work.
• Providing a time-stamped baseline report for referencing in consultations, white papers and biomanufacturing landscape lobbying, etc.

The report will be launched at bioProcessUK later this year! Please contact Netty England if you wish to discuss being included.