TO BE PUBLISHED January 2025
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This conference will examine next steps for the life sciences industry in the UK.
Stakeholders and policymakers will discuss the direction of policy under the new Government, focusing on implications of provisions in Invest 2035: The UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, published in October 2024, which identifies life sciences as a key sector for driving economic growth. Delegates will discuss next steps for the new Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund announced in the Budget, and priorities for the effective allocation of £520m of longer-term funding in order to improve access to medicines and protect against health emergencies.
We also expect discussion to draw on parallel ambitions outlined in A Prescription for Growth: Labour’s Plan for the Life Sciences Sector, published in February 2024, including the pledge to introduce 10-year budgets for key R&D institutions, set to be announced in phase two of the Government’s spending review. Stakeholders and policymakers will examine how 10-year budgets could work in practice, including frameworks required for implementation, as well as discussing the potential impact on research flexibility, and ways forward to allow for changing priorities.
Areas for discussion include priorities and options for supporting research, innovation and growth in UK life sciences, looking at attracting long-term investment, reforming regulatory and planning landscapes, and enhancing collaboration between the life sciences sector and the NHS.
Sessions will explore approaches to making the UK an attractive location for life sciences research and manufacturing, bringing out latest thinking on ways to modernise regulation without compromising safety, and to address skills gaps in the workforce.
Opportunities through planning reform to accelerate and support infrastructure development will also be discussed, including practical issues and public engagement. This follows government proposals to bring laboratory planning rules under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime, which would facilitate the building of laboratories, alongside other developments.
Attendees will consider the role of the newly-established Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) in streamlining the introduction of new products and innovations. They will discuss how regulatory reforms can best balance the aims of supporting rapid innovation with maintaining rigorous safety standards.
Further discussion is expected on enhancing collaboration between the NHS and the life sciences industry. We expect discussion on practical measures to overcome barriers such as capacity constraints, differing organisational cultures, and frameworks that could support alignment of priorities to maximise the potential of public-private partnerships.
Delegates will examine strategic priorities for the new Government as they aim to make the UK a more attractive place to conduct research and manufacturing, as well as strategies for facilitating effective collaboration with the life sciences sector. They will consider how to build on developments such as the recently announced partnership with Eli Lilly, aiming to support early-stage life sciences businesses, as well as trialling novel approaches to obesity treatment.
Areas for discussion include improving access to finance and options for targeted grants and tax incentives, and exploring wider options for boosting competitiveness and attracting foreign direct investment. We also expect delegates to examine the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicine Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG), agreed between DHSC, NHS England and the ABPI, which aims to channel investment into the sector over the next five years.
Further sessions assess practical next steps for the life sciences sector as part of the wider industrial growth strategy, focusing regional development and support for high-potential clusters, as well as next steps for commercialising university research and spin-outs in life sciences, following the announcement of at least £40m in funding over the next five years set out in the Budget.
Overall, sessions in the agenda include discussion on:
- the new Government’s priorities: assessing proposals outlined in A Prescription for Growth: Labour’s plan for the life sciences sector - what is needed from policy and key stakeholders if its aims are to be achieved
- funding: exploring ways to ensure the UK life sciences sector is attractive to investors - ensuring that funding is effective in channelling innovation toward patient need
- collaboration: strengthening cross-industry and public-private partnerships - maximising collaborative potential between the health and social care services, industry, charities, and academia - overcoming cross-sector barriers, drawing on measures suggested in the NHS Confederation’s Collaborate to innovate report
- planning: the impact of proposed changes to the NPPF on research infrastructure - potential to bringing laboratories under the NSIP regime - considering next steps for meeting sustainability criteria
- regulation: examining the future role of the RIO - discussing its potential to speed up patient access to safe new products and innovations - assessing ways forward to coordinate different regulatory bodies
- workforce: priorities for developing a skilled workforce to enable and support sector growth - priorities for recruitment, training and education
- VPAG programme: next steps for supporting patient access to new treatments - improving UK capacity for clinical trials and accelerating research - addressing concerns such as potential impact on generic and older medicines, and complexities in the system
- innovative treatments: strategies for streamlining patient access to innovation - increasing participation in UK clinical research - harnessing data and AI technologies to improve patient care - aligning life sciences innovation with NHS priorities - leveraging current projects and knowledge to help avoid duplication and enhance efficiency
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include officials from DHSC; OLS; UKHSA; DBT; Defra; DfE, NI; DfT; HM Treasury; HoC Library; MHRA; NAO; The Scottish Government; and the Welsh Government.
