70% increase in Phase I advanced therapy clinical trials in the UK in 2024

London, UK, 20 January 2025 - The number of ongoing advanced therapy clinical trials in the UK reached 187 in 2024, an increase of 7% compared from the previous year. This includes a significant approximate increase of 70% in the number of Phase I trials, which grew from 24 to 41.

The data is presented in the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s (CGT Catapult) UK 2024 Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) Clinical Trials Database.

In an increasingly competitive global market, the UK remains a highly attractive destination for clinical trials, having representation in 9.5% of all global trials and almost 50% of all European trials in 2024.*

The annual database released by the CGT Catapult also shows that there were 27 new or initiated trials in 2024, compared with 13 in 2023, indicating a growing pipeline of products. Similar to 2023, the majority of ATMP clinical trials in 2024 were in gene therapies.

Matthew Durdy, Chief Executive of the CGT Catapult, said:

Advanced therapy clinical trials are important in two regards. They provide a clear indication of the attractiveness of the UK for advanced therapy product development and they create the skills, capabilities and environment that mean that patients can access these life changing drugs more quickly and easily. This data shows the UK’s continued strength on both counts.

* Based on the number of ongoing ATMP clinical trials as published by the Alliance of Regenerative Medicine in January 2025.