CEO Update - 2 December 2024
New NHS report highlights innovation strategy for 10-year plan
The Innovation Ecosystem Programme (IEP), an 18 month long NHS England project, which the BIA have been involved in throughout, describes how the UK can lead the way globally in health gains and life sciences powered growth.
Its final report was published last week, summarising the findings of the IEP and outlines a comprehensive package of actions to drive progress. As a key precursor to the NHS 10-Year Plan expected next year, it examines our sector’s growth potential through the lens of NHS priorities. It’s an essential read for understanding how NHS system leaders view innovation and its role in our sector—well worth your time.
Steve Bates OBE
CEO, BIA
The report rightly highlights the importance of aligning priorities, fostering an innovation-friendly culture, and scaling transformative technologies to enhance patient outcomes and drive economic growth.
Collaboration is essential to unlocking the NHS’s unparalleled potential for healthcare innovation while addressing critical challenges like workforce pressures and rising care demands. By leveraging the UK’s world-class life sciences sector, academic excellence, and data capabilities, the IEP provides actionable recommendations to streamline collaboration between the NHS, industry, academia, and regulators.
Engagement with the 10 Year Health Plan
We are adding our voice to the large-scale public consultation on the NHS. Billed as “the biggest ever conversation about the future of the NHS”, the Government has invited views on what the future of the health service should look like. We are calling for partnership working with the life science sector, who will be key players in the shift to prevention through early diagnosis and the better use of technology in health and care. We also highlight the important role which key technologies will play in creating an NHS fit for the future, including cell and gene therapies, techbio, and precision and genomic medicine. We look forward to working with the NHS on the 10 Year Health Plan as it is developed in the coming months. Read our response.
Industrial strategy response
We’ve published our response to the Department for Business & Trade’s (DBT) broad consultation on Industrial Strategy which closed last week. To recap, Invest 2035: The UK’s modern industrial strategy – is a sizable and comprehensive green paper that sets out government’s vision for a 10 year plan to deliver the certainty and stability needed to drive investment and unlock the growth potential of key sectors – including life sciences.
In our response, we emphasized the significant growth potential of our sector. We advocated for the strategy to build on the strong partnerships already established through the Life Science Council and the Office for Life Sciences and to advance the priorities outlined in key policy documents such as Labour’s A Prescription for Growth and the pensions reform and Mansion House agenda. We also highlighted the need to maintain a sharp focus on transformative sub-sectors and technologies, including engineering biology, Deep Biotech, genomics, mRNA, cell and gene therapies, and precision medicine.
More on this to come in the first quarter of next year – watch this space.
US biotech bomber arrested in Wales after 20 years on the run
A suspect wanted in the US for planting two bombs on the campus of a biotechnology company in California in 2003 was arrested in rural Wales last week. Daniel Andreas San Diego, 46, one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives, is being held in custody after appearing in court in London. He now faces extradition to the USA.
Back in 2003, political violence by Animal Rights Extremists was a significant issue in the UK as well as the US. A group called the Revolutionary Cells-Animal Liberation Brigade claimed responsibility for the bombings in California, citing the companies' ties to UK-based Huntingdon Life Sciences. In 2009, Mr San Diego became the first person suspected of US domestic terrorism to be added to the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorism list.
“Daniel San Diego’s arrest after more than 20 years as a fugitive for two bombings in the San Francisco area shows that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will find you and hold you accountable,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.
The arrest highlights the role of international cooperation between democracies and law enforcement agencies in enabling lawful businesses to thrive free from the threat of extremist violence. Whilst threat levels are lower than a generation ago, this is an issue that the BIA continues to monitor and engage with the UK government on.
RNID celebrate 25 years of biomedical research
Last Tuesday, I had the privilege of speaking at an RNID (our Charity Partner of the Year) celebration of the remarkable impact of their biomedical research programme over the past 25 years. The event at the Royal Society highlighted the incredible work RNID has accomplished and is a testament to their unwavering commitment to improving the lives of those affected by hearing loss and tinnitus. It’s been my honour this year to support their mission and amplify their voice within the life sciences community.
TechBio Boost Demo Day
The TechBio Boost Demo Day on 10 December, at the Francis Crick Institute in London, marks the culmination of the 12-week TechBio Boost programme. Launched by BIA and KQ Labs in September, with support from London & Partners, the programme has supported over 30 seed/pre-Series A companies working at the intersection of biology and data technologies through workshops, networking, mentoring, and community events. The Demo Day will feature company presentations and networking opportunities for investors and pharma-partnering professionals. Interested attendees should register now to avoid missing out.
Individual tickets for the BIA Gala Dinner
Some people have asked me if it’s possible to buy an individual ticket to the BIA Gala Dinner 2025. A limited number of tickets are now available. Hope to see you there in January 2025!
