Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
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New Government office established to reinforce success of life sciences industry

New Government office established to reinforce success of life sciences industry

DEPARTMENT FOR INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS News Release (042) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 3 April 2009

A new Office for Life Sciences (OLS) has been created to address key issues affecting the pharmaceutical, medical biotech and devices sectors.

The OLS is tasked, by the end of July 2009, with taking action to make a real difference to the operating environment for life sciences companies by working across Government to address a range of key issues, including those raised in The Review and Refresh of Bioscience 2015.

Working with Departments responsible for these areas, the virtual Office will co-ordinate national policy, undertaking work to build a sustainable and integrated life sciences industry in the future. It will look at what steps can be taken to improve access to finance for SMEs and to stimulate investment in the life sciences industry.

It will also be considering how the NHS can be more effective as a champion of innovation, possible ways of getting medicines onto the market faster, how the UK can become a more attractive base for clinical trials, and effectively market the industry globally.

Announced by the Prime Minister at an industry summit in January, the Office is led by Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson. Dr Robert Sullivan has been appointed Director of the Office for Life Sciences, which is part of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Lord Drayson said:

"Life science is one of the key strategic sectors of the future. It will have a vital contribution to make as we come through this recession - therefore it is essential that we ensure the industry is in a position to flourish.

"We must focus on rebalancing the economy towards those sectors where we have a competitive advantage and opportunity to be a global leader.

"This new Office represents the government's commitment to safeguarding the future of our life sciences industry, creating an environment where everyone from large pharmaceuticals to small biotech and medical tech companies can prosper. The skills, expertise and intellectual property these businesses possess are extremely valuable to the future of this country".

The OLS is working closely with industry. The Government is working with the Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI), Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), the BioIndustry Association (BIA), the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) and others, and encouraging companies to get involved via their trade associations.

It is also responsible for delivering a joint Industrial Strategy this summer for the Life Sciences, which will recognise the integrated nature of the various life sciences sectors and the need for improving cross-Government policy.

The Office is being created within DIUS, initially including staff secondments from key departments such as the Department of Health, BERR and the Treasury. A wider "virtual team" is being set up to bring together personnel from across the whole of Whitehall to ensure a joined up approach in the short term and for the development of the joint Strategy for this summer.

Simon Cartmell, CEO of ApaTech, an orthobiologics company, said:

"All life science SMEs will welcome the creation of the OLS as a means of rejuvenating the link between the UK's world leading scientific and clinical research capabilities, the excellent human resource pool in the UK and our home market customer, the NHS.

"Improved access to capitalise on these capabilities will help ensure that the life science industries can continue to compete globally and remain one of the UK's strategic industrial segments".

Aisling Burnand, Chief Executive of the BioIndustry Association said:

"The establishment of this Office comes at a critical time for many UK bioscience companies which are now starved of cash and having to cut projects in order to survive. As Lord Drayson has identified, implementation of measures to secure the future of the UK's life sciences industry is needed within the next six months.

"Of particular importance to our sector are those measures which have the potential to reinvigorate the financing of bioscience companies. The BIA is fully engaged and committed to playing its part to ensure the success of this initiative".

Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive of the Association of British Healthcare Industries said:

"Industry welcomes the Government's urgent response to the problems facing the life sciences industries. Medical devices and diagnostics have the potential to support the UK's drive for better health at better value, whilst creating a virtuous circle of economic development strongly rooted in high-value R&D-linked jobs.

"Rapid action is needed to make progress in improving uptake of medical technologies as well as with business-threatening issues such as the cost and shortage of capital, as well as late payment. Through the Ministerial Medical Technology Strategy Group, industry has already been working together with Government to ensure that strategic issues are properly considered in Government policy and ABHI is pleased to provide the secretariat for that process, as it is to support the launch of the Office for Life Sciences".

Richard Barker, Director General of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry said:

"We welcome the Government's acknowledgement that life sciences is a key strategic sector and its commitment to creating an environment where the discovery of new medicines can prosper. The UK is facing fierce competition from around the world. If it is to continue to be a leader, co-ordinated and swift action is required.

"The Government needs to protect and build the UK's scientific talent base and do all it can to encourage the NHS to be a champion of innovation by speeding up access to new medicines and boosting clinical trials. The ABPI will be working closely with the OLS and the other trade associations involved to ensure the success of our joint mission to create a vibrant life sciences sector for the future."

Notes to Editors

1. The creation of the virtual Office for Life Sciences was announced by the Prime Minister on the 27th January at a Number 10 Summit. The Office is part of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

2. In his speech to the Foundation for Science and Technology Lord Drayson announced his determination to work with industries that are the engines for growth in the UK economy as it comes out of recession. For a full version of the FST Lecture on 4 February 2009, go to http://www.dius.gov.uk/news_and_speeches/speeches/lord_drayson/fst

3. Lord Mandelson pledged his commitment to working with Lord Drayson and the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, on the subject of life sciences in his Mansion House speech on 4 March 2009. The full text can be found at http://www.berr.gov.uk/aboutus/ministerialteam/Speeches/page50353.html

4. The 'Review and Refresh of Bioscience 2015' updates 'Bioscience 2015', which was published by the Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team (BIGT) and set out a vision for the UK medical bioscience sector in the year 2015. It was carried out under the Chairmanship of Sir David Cooksey, and measures progress made against the original Bioscience 2015 vision and identifies new ideas and proposals that could promote the future competitiveness of the UK medical bioscience sector. The Government response is due shortly.

5. For media enquiries only contact Matthew Barker in the DIUS press office on 0203 300 8126.

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