UK ‘has ten years to become global biotech leader’
pharmafile | April 28, 2015 | News story | Manufacturing and Production, Research and Development, Sales and Marketing |
The UK should be home to ‘the third global cluster’ for biotech in the next 10 years, according to a strategy document set out by the BioIndustry Association.
With the help and investment of the next two Governments, UK pharma can be “a vibrant world leading cluster” to rival global industry leaders Boston and California, the report says.
The BIA represents firms who collectively are responsible for 90% of the medicines in clinical development in the UK.
Its vision document argues that by 2025, the number of top 10 pharma firms with HQs in the UK should increase from two to three or more, and all top 10 pharma should be actively sourcing deals and have opened business development offices in the UK.
It calls for pharma companies to stop the ‘pulling back’ in terms of UK R&D jobs that has occurred over the last decade, and for a mid-tier UK company to make the step up to become a global firm. In addition, a global pharma firm should relocate its base to the UK, which would be “a clear signal of the international performance of the cluster from inward investment”.
It also calls for the industry to ramp up the ‘build and flip’ trend – “where IP is developed often by venture to the point that it is a low attrition risk for pharma, who then buy the company”. The BIA highlights J&J Innovations as a ‘forward-thinking’ firm investing in deal sourcing in the UK, and calls for others to follow suit, not just in the south east of England but throughout the UK.
The BIA vision for the life sciences sector states that by 2025 the UK should have a biotech sector of the size and scale to be able to:
• Take four times as many drugs and other innovations into clinic and to patients
• Attract private investment of £2.9bn per annum – £2.6bn more than today
• Build about 130 more clinical stage drug companies than today
• Create 30,000 to 60,000 more direct, high skill jobs than today
• Create a direct salary pool or income tax-base £5bn to £10bn per year larger than today
The document notes that the current state of the industry means that there is a long way to go to achieve the vision – and that engagement with the industry as well as the new Government will be key to its success or failure.
“The biotech ecosystem is complicated, our diagnosis likely incomplete,” it concludes. “As a result, we see this list only as a place to start a dialogue with other stakeholders. We strongly believe that the action plan for this sector has to be co-created with cross-sector and cross-party input. Unless it is co-created in that way, it is unlikely to catalyse durable change and drive patient benefit.”
Edward Hodgkin, BIA Chairman, says: “Ensuring the UK remains a globally competitive location to undertake drug discovery and development is crucial to the UK’s future health and wealth.
“This vision document sets out a global ambition for the UK, highlighting both where the sector needs to collaborate more effectively and pointing to UK strengths which can be capitalised upon to make it the global heavy-hitter it should and can be.”
Steve Bates, BIA chief executive says: “UK life sciences are already in great shape but have the potential to go so much further. This thoughtful analysis is an industry inspired vision of the potential prize for our sector.
“The UK truly has the potential to be a world leader in biotech, a key part of the economy of the future. We need to match world class financing and company growth capacities to our world class capabilities in science.”
Lilian Anekwe
