Pharma applauds government strategy
pharmafile | December 11, 2012 | News story | Sales and Marketing | ABPI, BIA, Cameron, Willetts
The ABPI and BioIndustry Association (BIA) have both welcomed the government’s update on its Strategy for UK Life Sciences, launched a year ago.
Prime minister David Cameron and science minister David Willetts said the UK has generated more than £1 billion from industry and the private sector for life sciences since December 2011.
And as part of a new initiative, the government is to set aside £100 million to sequence the whole genomes of 100,000 patients over three to five years.
Mapping these personal DNA codes should give doctors a better understanding of individuals’ treatment needs, and the data will also be used to help develop new drugs.
The money, which Cameron said would come out of extra cash for science announced in last week’s Autumn Statement, will be used to train British genetic scientists and doctors to harness DNA sequencing technology and to improve the NHS’s data infrastructure.
ABPI chief executive Stephen Whitehead welcomed the announcement of the cancer genome initiative, saying it “will harness the latest science and technology to take the next transformative step towards personalised medicine”.
His counterpart at the BIA, Steve Bates, agreed. “The government’s decision to invest in genomics will build upon the UK’s strong heritage in this area to improve patient care and create jobs and growth for the UK,” Bates said.
He also praised the Biomedical Catalyst, announced last year, which BIA says has been well received by the sector and is providing companies with “much-needed accelerator funding”.
It demonstrates the government’s commitment to early-stage life science companies, Bates added. “The funding process has been simple and flexible which is important to small companies,” he concluded.
The government’s update also included news of £20 million new funding to the UK Regenerative Medicine Platform to provide imaging and cell manufacture technologies.
There will also be £38 million invested in the open-access National Biologics Industry Innovation Centre and the Medical Research Council is to put £10 million into three stratified medicine projects.
Willetts said: “Life sciences is one of the most truly international sectors – so if we are to continue to be a world player and compete in the global race we must do everything we can to support it.”
Adam Hill
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