CEO Update - 15 September 2025
Addressing recent sector developments
In the last week, we have been hit by headlines that MSD plans to close its discovery research activities in London and that AstraZeneca is pausing investment due to the UK commercial environment and specifically in response to VPAG outcomes. The sector is also alive to the changes President Trump wants to see in drug pricing in the USA and his state visit to the UK this week.
BIA continues to call for an environment that supports both SMEs and large players in the life sciences and we’ve made the case that increasing drug pricing in the UK would benefit NHS patients as well as increase the UK’s global investment attractiveness.
Steve Bates OBE
CEO, BIA
MSD have benefited significantly from a phenomenal UK innovation backbone (Keytruda developed in the UK by LifeArc) and pipeline (Verona Pharma, a UK-based biotech bought this summer for $10 billion) and we welcome the continued commitment to a strong UK footprint.
In the face of geopolitical uncertainty, London’s King’s Cross and Knowledge Quarter continues to go from strength to strength with investment from major pharma, tech, international investors and property players such as Google Deepmind’s Isomorphic Labs and British Land - and from scaling TechBio companies like Relation Therapeutics.
It is important that we, as a sector, continue to retain and express confidence in the good news of recent raises since the summer, such as CHARM Therapeutics, NRG Therapeutics, and Alchemab and celebrate the successful exits of UK stories like OrganOx and Verona - encouraging more UK and international investors onto the cap tables of our innovative companies.
mRNA Revolution explainer - updated for 2025
mRNA technology is one of the most exciting scientific breakthroughs of recent years, helping to save lives during the recent COVID pandemic. It is a field the UK is leading on and I'm excited that BIA has today launched an updated report celebrating the revolution currently taking place, with new case studies on the companies Touchlight and Sensible Bio, new forewards, a dedicated section on the ATAC apprenticship, a new timeline outlining the progress of the innovation and a new map exploring different mRNA companies within the country. Anyone who reads the report will be given a renewed sense of optimism regarding the dynamism inherent to UK life sciences.
Women in Biotech advisory board and leadership lunch
Last week, we hosted the Women in Biotech Advisory Board meeting and leadership lunch, which was a fantastic opportunity to hear insights from across our community as we continue to champion diverse leadership in UK life sciences. Together, we’re working to support senior female leaders progressing into C-suite, CEO and NED roles, while also building the business case for diverse boards and encouraging greater diversity within the investment community.
I’d encourage you to help spread the word about our Women in Biotech initiatives, including the Women in Biotech Mentoring Programme. Applications for the 2026 cohort are now open (More details and how to apply). We are particularly keen to increase participation from C-suite mentees. If you’d like to be a mentor but haven’t yet signed up, please contact Kate Barclay.
You can also get involved in our upcoming Women in Biotech events - in Oxford on 1 October and in London on 10 December.
TechBio Boost: the retreat
TechBio Boost, a scale-up accelerator delivered by BIA and KQ Labs, with support from London & Partners, brought together pioneering CEOs to scale innovation at the intersection of biology and technology. Last week, CEOs from current and past cohorts gathered for two days of leadership training, knowledge-sharing, and community building, strengthening the network that drives TechBio forward.
The sessions featured the following speakers, who shared valuable insights at every step of the founder journey, including Simon Kerry, Curve Therapeutics and Melanie Lee, former CEO, LifeArc, on managing boards; Paul Ashley and Toby Richardson, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, on partnering for success and Les Russell, StimOxyGen, Pebble Biotechnology Laboratories, in an engaging fireside chat. They shared practical experience and strategic advice to help founders navigate the challenges of scaling, building strong partnerships, and leading with impact.
The second day of the retreat saw founders dive into peer-to-peer roundtables before hearing from leaders on fundraising and scaling globally. Beyond the sessions, CEOs enjoyed plenty of time for connection, from networking activities to dinners and informal walks.