Boost for UK Life Sciences

Two new initiatives were launched on October 25th by Universities and Science Minister David Willetts, at a joint Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) / BioIndustry Association (BIA) conference in London. The Therapeutic Capability Clusters led by the Office for Strategic Coordination is designed to boost collaboration between academics, clinicians and the life sciences industry to help deliver the medicines of the future faster to UK patients and secure the UK’s position as the global partner of choice for R&D collaboration.

The MRC/ABPI Inflammation and Immunology Initiative is founded on plans by the MRC to invest more than £10 million in consortia in two pilot disease areas, complementing the Therapeutic Capability Clusters programme. This new approach in funding by the MRC, brings together academics and industry at the early planning stages to develop a stratified approach to disease (targeting the right treatments to the right people), enabling effective clinical trials as well as identifying novel biomarkers, mechanisms and targets.

Dr Richard Barker, Director General of the ABPI and co-chair of the Supercluster initiative with Professor Sir John Bell, said: "The Therapeutic Capability Clusters initiative, born in our work with the Office for Life Sciences, will create true comparative advantage for the UK in translational medicine. This programme capitalises on our vibrant and economically important life science sector, to attract increased inward investment from the global pharmaceutical industry. We are also delighted to
partner with the MRC in tackling illnesses such as inflammatory lung disease which causes thousands of premature deaths every year. This is good news for the NHS patients of the future."

Professor Sir John Bell, Chairman of OSCHR, said: "I am excited that the clusters will provide a real opportunity for the best researchers in industry and the public sector to work together to gain insights into clinical development that could help to raise the profile of UK research, attract inward investment and help patients with chronic diseases."

Roch Doliveux, Global Chief Executive Officer of UCB Group said: "With UK universities being world leaders, UK based biomedical innovation has tremendous potential. In order that the UK remains a leading hub for biopharma R&D, government should ensure that investment remains and that policies are consistent with the long term nature of our business."