Dr Rosie Godeseth

Medical Director, Genomics Ltd

Speaking at the UKAI and Curia Healthcare and Life Sciences Parliamentary Showcase, Dr Rosie Godeseth highlighted how polygenic risk scores, artificial intelligence and large-scale health data could help the NHS identify disease risk earlier.

Dr Rosie Godeseth, Medical Director at Genomics Ltd, a UK-headquartered TechBio company founded in 2014, used her remarks at the UKAI and Curia Healthcare and Life Sciences Parliamentary Showcase in Parliament to set out how innovation in genomics could support one of the central ambitions of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan: moving from sickness to prevention.

A clinician by background, with higher specialist training in cardiology, Dr Godeseth explained how Genomics uses large-scale genetic and health data, artificial intelligence (AI) and proprietary analytics to accelerate drug discovery and support disease prevention. Her presentation focused on the potential of polygenic risk scores to identify people at higher risk of common diseases years before symptoms appear.

Genomics Ltd has built the world’s largest harmonised genotype-phenotype data resource, with over 40,000 genome-wide association studies, and is the exclusive polygenic risk score provider for Our Future Health, calculating scores for up to five million volunteers. Its Health Insights product is the first UKCA-marked, MHRA-registered PRS product of its kind.

Predicting risk before disease develops

Dr Godeseth began by explaining that common diseases are not usually caused by one single genetic mutation. Instead, polygenic risk reflects the combined effect of millions of small variations in a person’s DNA, which together can increase or decrease their likelihood of developing disease.

She used cardiovascular disease as a central example. Heart disease remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK, and Dr Godeseth highlighted the significant financial burden it places on both the NHS and the wider economy. Modelling based on UK Biobank data suggests that PRS could identify 1.9 million additional individuals as high-risk for cardiovascular disease beyond those currently found through standard tools, preventing approximately 45,300 cardiovascular events over ten years and saving the NHS over £235 million. She argued that polygenic risk scores can help identify people with a hidden high genetic risk of cardiovascular disease, including individuals who may not otherwise know they are at greater risk.

For example, she explained that a 45-year-old man with a high polygenic risk score for coronary artery disease shares the same risk level as a typical 65-year-old but 15 to 20 years ahead of his actual age. The implication is significant: identifying this risk early allows for timely, evidence-based interventions like statins, shifting the focus from treating developed disease to preventing it entirely.

Improving existing clinical tools

Dr Godeseth was clear that polygenic risk scores are not intended to replace existing clinical judgement or tools. Instead, they can strengthen them.

She said that adding genetics and polygenic risk scores to established clinical tools such as QRISK or PREVENT can improve identification of people at risk. This has been validated prospectively: the GENVASC study, a real-world NHS Health Check cohort followed for nearly eight years, found that adding PRS to QRISK2 increased detection sensitivity in 40–54-year-olds by 47.7%. Both the European Society of Cardiology (2025) and the American Heart Association (2022) have endorsed the clinical utility of PRS in cardiovascular risk prediction. Dr Godeseth also highlighted that PRS does more than identify risk, it guides treatment. According to the ESC Scientific Statement, statins are substantially more effective in high-PRS individuals, delivering approximately 44% relative cardiovascular risk reduction in the top PRS decile compared with approximately 24% in lower strata.

Genomics has tested this approach through the HEART clinical trial in NHS primary care in the North East of England, examining the clinical utility and feasibility of adding polygenic risk scores. Dr Godeseth said the work was useful for both clinicians and patients. It led GPs to make a different clinical decision in 13% of cases with 5.2% of participants were reclassified upward across the NICE 10% statin eligibility threshold. Patients responded positively: 98.8% found the test personally useful, 96.4% found it easy to understand, and no additional genetic counselling was required.

From evidence to scale

Dr Godeseth also explained that Genomics’ Health Insights product has been through regulation as a medical device and is the first UKCA-marked, MHRA-registered PRS product of its kind, approved for four disease areas: cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, breast cancer and type 2 diabetes. Genomics is already active in the private sector, is the exclusive PRS provider for Our Future Health, partners to leading UK healthcare providers Bupa and Spire Healthcare and is in discussions with the NHS about supporting the 10 Year Health Plan’s prevention agenda. The NHS Plan itself commits to rolling out PRS universally and creating a new Genomics Population Health Service.

However, her central challenge was not whether the science exists. It was why technologies with regulatory approval; evidence of earlier prediction and clear potential actions are still difficult to scale.

Three barriers to preventive healthcare

Dr Godeseth identified three major barriers.

The first was financial. Prevention and prediction are often expected to compete with budgets designed to treat people who are already unwell. In practice, this means preventive innovation may be competing against immediate sickness and acute pressures, even when earlier intervention could reduce future demand.

The second barrier was evaluation. Many healthcare evidence frameworks are designed around diagnostic tools, where the result is often binary: disease is present or it is not. Prediction is different. It deals in probability and future risk. Dr Godeseth argued that if evaluation models remain built around diagnostics, they may struggle to capture the value of predictive technologies.

The third barrier was infrastructure. Genetic data is different from many other forms of health data because it is static. It can be collected once and used throughout a person’s life, not only for prevention but for multiple points in an individual’s lifetime, for example for treatment selection during disease, or pharmacogenomics to guide medication choice. Yet healthcare infrastructure is still largely designed around episodic care, not lifelong use of genomic information.

Building a preventive NHS

Dr Godeseth’s message was that genomics is ready to play a much larger role in healthcare, but the system around it must change. If the NHS is to move from reactive treatment to prevention, it will need funding models that reward earlier intervention, evaluation frameworks suited to prediction, and infrastructure capable of using genetic information safely across a person’s lifetime.

Across seven common diseases, research published in Nature Communications has shown that PRS-guided screening could reduce premature deaths in high-risk groups by 23.3%. Yet there is a risk that proven, deployable technology is held back while the system waits for next-generation AI and multi-omic tools that remain years from clinical readiness. Deploying what works today builds the infrastructure on which future innovations will depend.

Her remarks reinforced a wider theme of the showcase: innovation is already here. The challenge now is to reform the structures that determine whether it can reach patients at scale. Patients who could be identified and helped today should not continue to be missed while the system debates what comes next.

This article is a sponsored feature, produced in partnership with Genomics ltd.

In this conversation, Professor Sir Peter Donnelly explains how Genomics is turning cutting-edge polygenic risk science into scalable tools for the NHS and global pharma, showing why the UK’s genomics leadership now needs commercial ambition as much as scientific excellence.

The UK is the global leader in genetics and genomics. Our scientists are transforming healthcare and life sciences, helping improve millions of lives and placing Britain at the forefront of a new era in preventative, personalised medicine. The UK sequenced the genomes (the entirety of an individual’s DNA) of 500,000 participants in a landmark voluntary nationwide initiative, and NHS hospitals are running world-first newborn screening studies to test for rare genetic conditions – enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment.

There is a crucial need not only to support this scientific innovation, but to scale it – creating high-value jobs, driving UK economic growth and competitiveness, and ensuring discoveries translate into real-world impact within the NHS. The Government’s NHS 10-Year Plan signalled a clear shift from treating illness to preventing it, and highlighted that genomics has a central role to play in delivering that ambition.

Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes have a devastating impact on individuals. They also account for 70 per cent of the annual expenditure of the NHS in England. Now, there is exciting potential to use genetic information to improve patient outcomes and deliver on the plan, with Wes Streeting describing genomics as a tool that could “leapfrog disease, so we’re in front of it rather than reacting to it”.

In February 2026, Genomics Limited opened its flagship office in the heart of the Knowledge Quarter in London – inaugurated by Dr Zubir Ahmed, Minister for Health Innovation and Safety, and Steve Bates OBE, Executive Chair, Office of Life Sciences. Genomics Chief Public Policy Officer, Sian Jarvis, spoke with CEO and Co-Founder, Peter Donnelly, to discuss the potential of Genomics to transform healthcare and the importance of supporting scientific innovation in the UK.

Genomics Interview

Sian: Peter, please could you introduce yourself and tell us about Genomics?

Peter:
Thanks, Sian. I am Professor Sir Peter Donnelly, the CEO and co-Founder of Genomics. I was an academic for most of my career and played a role in the “Genetic Revolution”, which transformed our knowledge of the genetics of common diseases. Together with three colleagues from the University of Oxford, Genomics was founded in 2014 to change how the world predicts, prevents, treats and cures disease. Our vision: to use world-class science to help people live longer, healthier lives.

We work in healthcare – improving the way we can predict people’s risk of disease as early as possible – and in life sciences – supporting pharmaceutical and biotech companies to identify and validate new drug targets and to identify the patients who will most benefit from drugs.

The impact of genomics on healthcare in the UK is more significant than ever. Genetics is a critical risk factor for all the common diseases, meaning we can use an individual’s DNA to identify their risk of developing a disease years before symptoms appear – improving health outcomes for patients and easing the pressure placed on doctors and the resources of health systems like the NHS. We can do this using something called a polygenic risk score.

Sian: How can looking at genetics help identify disease risk earlier, and how will this be implemented?

Peter:

Until a few years ago, if you had the entire DNA sequence of a healthy person in early middle age, you would learn something medically actionable in only 1–2 per cent of cases. Recently, that position has changed dramatically. Now, if you have genomic information on that same person, you learn something medically actionable in 70 per cent of cases.

There are potentially a million points in an individual’s DNA that influence the development of a common disease. (This is different to rare diseases where a single gene is responsible, for example, Huntington’s disease.) A polygenic risk score (PRS) combines this information with traditional clinical factors like age to develop a personalised estimate of disease risk, meaning it can be used to flag elevated risk years before symptoms appear.

We were delighted that a Genomic Population Health Service – which will be transformative – was included in the Government’s plan. As part of this service, PRS will be offered universally, with the first implementation occurring this year. Having a much more powerful understanding of which diseases each of us is most at risk for will allow the NHS to get the right people into the right screening, prevention, and treatment programmes, at the right time.

At Genomics, we are proud to be the world leader in PRS. The potential of PRS to identify disease risk alone, or in conjunction with clinical risk tools, is huge – and we have seen this approach work first-hand. In 2022, we announced results from a world-first pilot that we conducted within the NHS in the North East, using PRS to improve cardiovascular disease prevention. Over 98.5 per cent of patients found the information useful for their health.

Sian: What does the opening of Genomics’ new flagship office signify with regard to scientific innovation within the UK?

Peter:
The opening of our London flagship office marks an important step in our growth journey and in how we are supporting science-led innovation in the UK. As Dr Ahmed said at the inauguration, “When companies like you succeed, our country genuinely succeeds.” That captures something important: supporting innovative, science-led companies is essential, not only for better health outcomes, but for economic growth.

For Genomics, it also demonstrates the scale we’ve achieved. We now employ around 130 people, with offices in the UK and the US, and a lab in the US, showing that UK-based companies can grow internationally whilst creating high-value jobs, retaining intellectual property, and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

Sian: Looking ahead, what does success look like?

Peter:

We are currently world-leading on both sides of our business. In our life sciences division, we have the world’s largest and deepest human genetic database, linking genetic changes in people to many different outcomes. (To give a sense of scale, one of our data tables has over two trillion rows.) The agentic AI interface for our drug discovery platform, Mystra, democratises the ability to get super valuable insights from that data to inform drug discovery and development. Our Pharma partners are starting work on around 10 of the novel drug targets we discovered last year. In healthcare, our MHRA-registered PRS test is now available through a number of partners in the UK and in the US, and we’re expanding to other countries soon.

But I really see that as just the beginning. We’re at an inflexion point as the amount of genetic data explodes. By 2035, there will be extensive DNA information on over 500 million people, with much of that linked for research in anonymised ways to their medical records. The opportunities to make a difference through our expertise, our AI tools, and our deep experience in working across the pharmaceutical industry and in healthcare are eye-watering. The NHS predicts, and I think they’re right, that by 2035, half of all healthcare interactions will be underpinned by genomics or predictive analytics.

So, the future in this space is incredibly exciting, and we’re planning to stay right at the centre of that.

This article features in the new edition of ChamberUK. Our parliamentary journal.

You can buy your copy here.

Genomics has opened its new flagship London office in the Knowledge Quarter, King’s Cross – formally inaugurated by Dr Zubir Ahmed – marking a significant moment for the UK’s life sciences and artificial intelligence ecosystem.

The Minister for Health Innovation used the occasion to deliver emphatic praise for the Oxford spin-out, describing it as one of the “jewels in our crown” and placing it at the centre of the government’s ambition to make life sciences both a healthcare and growth priority.

“Companies like you are the jewels in our crown.”
– Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, Minister for Health Innovation, Department of Health and Social Care

Standing before partners from across pharma, biotech and government, the Minister framed Genomics as a British success story built on world-class science and NHS data assets – and one that the government intends to back.

“You are simply transforming the timelines and what is possible in drug discovery right before our eyes.” – Dr Zubir Ahmed

He pointed to unprecedented public investment – including £650 million for Genomics England, £20 million for UK Biobank and over £350 million for Our Future Health – as evidence that genomics and predictive analytics sit at the heart of the UK’s long-term strategy.

As Executive Chair of the Office for Life Sciences, Steve Bates’ presence shows the strategic importance of companies like Genomics to the UK’s Life Sciences Sector Plan.

With a long track record of championing the sector’s global competitiveness, Bates has argued for several decades that the UK’s strength lies in combining NHS data, academic excellence, and commercial scale-up capability. The opening of Genomics’ flagship office – and the integration of agentic AI into its Mystra platform – reflects exactly the kind of science-led, commercially ambitious growth story the Office for Life Sciences is working to accelerate across the country.

From Oxford spin-out to global scale-up

Founded in 2014 by leading statistical geneticists from the University of Oxford, Genomics was built on a clear mission: to use world-class science to transform drug discovery and help people live longer, healthier lives.

In its early years, the company focused on building infrastructure – creating what it describes as the world’s largest harmonised genotype-phenotype data platform, with some tables containing more than two trillion lines of data. That resource links genetic information from millions of individuals to functional genome data and health records.

As CEO and Founder, Professor Sir Peter Donnelly told guests, the company has since evolved into a fully commercial organisation with 130 staff across London, Oxford, Cambridge, Research Triangle Park, and the Boston area.

“Today represents more than a new office. It marks the next chapter in our commercial growth and our mission to harness the power of genetic insight to transform drug discovery and development.”
– Professor Sir Peter Donnelly, Founder and CEO, Genomics

Genomics has featured on the Sunday Times 100 Tech list for two consecutive years and now works across two major verticals: life sciences and healthcare. In 2025 alone, it worked with 11 partners and identified eight drug targets that have progressed into pharma pipelines.

Mystra: unlocking causality in human biology

At the centre of its commercial strategy is Mystra, the company’s SaaS drug discovery platform, hosted on infrastructure provided by Amazon Web Services.

Launched commercially in October 2025, Mystra allows partners to run advanced genetic analyses either on Genomics’ proprietary datasets or their own internal data. Within months, the platform secured seven paying customers, with further partnerships expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

The rationale is grounded in a widely cited statistic: drugs with human genetic evidence are around twice as likely to succeed in clinical trials.

As Donnelly explained, healthcare data is rich in correlation but limited in causality. There are only two ways to establish causality – interventional clinical trials, or genetics. Trials are costly and complex; genetics offers a scalable route to biological insight.

Mystra was designed to make that insight accessible to pharma R&D teams. The new London launch, however, marks the next stage in that journey.

The agentic AI layer – democratising drug discovery

The headline announcement at the opening was the integration of agentic artificial intelligence into Mystra – a conversational, task-oriented AI layer that sits on top of the platform’s data and analytics infrastructure.

Donnelly described it as “the single most exciting thing I have ever seen” in his scientific career.

“Combining our genomic capabilities with agentic AI on Mystra is a big step towards democratising access to genomic insights across the life sciences ecosystem.”

Previously, a research scientist might have needed to draft a memo to a statistical genetics team and wait for analysis on whether a particular gene was a viable drug target. With the agentic interface, they can now query the system directly.

Scientists can ask:

• Is a specific gene a strong target for a given condition?
• What side effects might arise from targeting it?
• Which patient subgroups are most likely to benefit?
• Are there alternative indications worth exploring?

The implications extend beyond the lab. Development teams, senior executives and even investors can interrogate target-disease relationships and pipeline risk in real time.

In Donnelly’s view, this convergence of large-scale genomic data and AI marks a genuine inflection point for the sector.

At the heart of the Knowledge Quarter

Genomics’ new office places it within London’s Knowledge Quarter – a one-mile innovation district anchored around King’s Cross.

Jodie Eastwood, Chief Executive of the Knowledge Quarter, welcomed the company as the latest member of a community that includes the Francis Crick Institute, the British Museum, Wellcome and University College London.

“Their application of advanced AI to genomic data is exactly the type of forward-thinking science our innovation district is designed to foster.”
– Jodie Eastwood, Chief Executive, Knowledge Quarter

The Knowledge Quarter generates £43.4 billion in gross value added and hosts 25 per cent of London’s life sciences companies. With 2.9 million square feet of wet lab space planned by 2032, it is increasingly positioned as Europe’s leading innovation cluster.

The symbolism was not lost on the Minister, who invoked comparisons with Kendall Square in Boston and argued that the UK has the opportunity to build a life sciences powerhouse of similar scale.

A new partnership model between government and science

Beyond the office opening, the tone of the event signalled a deeper shift – from passive policy support to active partnership between government and high-growth techbio companies.

“We are not simply watching you from the sidelines. We are rolling up our sleeves and getting into deep partnerships with you.”
– Dr Zubir Ahmed MP

The Minister positioned genomics and AI as mission-critical to both patient outcomes and national economic growth. He suggested that the NHS, underpinned by predictive analytics and genetics, could become the “national growth story” of the next 50 years.

The UK intends to compete at the frontier of AI-powered drug discovery – and the Government sees companies like this as central to that ambition.

As the doors opened on All Saints Street in King’s Cross, the company was not simply celebrating a new office. It was staking a claim that Britain can lead the convergence of genetics, AI, and healthcare innovation – and that this moment may, in time, be recognised as the start of a new chapter in life sciences.

To find out more about Genomics, visit: www.genomics.com

Genomics are members of Curia’ Health, Care, and Life Sciences Research Group. To find out more about Curia contact Partnerships Director, Ben McDermott at ben.mcdermott@chamberuk.com

Photos: Genomics

New subscribers will receive a copy of the report, alternatively a copy can be purchased at www.chamberuk.com/shop.

This article outlines a key finding from the document: the importance of establishing robust structures and mechanisms within the Government in order to convert ambition visions into tangible actions.

Key Finding: Governance and Implementation

Establishing robust structures and mechanisms within the Government is critical to converting ambitious visions into tangible actions. This involves strategic planning, policy integration, and stakeholder engagement to ensure co-ordinated efforts across various governmental departments. Effective governance and implementation are essential for fostering cross-departmental collaboration and ensuring that life sciences strategies are not only well-conceived but also effectively executed.

Effective governance involves setting up clear lines of accountability and responsibility. This means identifying the key stakeholders involved in the implementation of the strategy and defining their roles and responsibilities. It also involves establishing mechanisms for monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes, ensuring that the strategy remains on track and achieves its intended goals.

Policy integration is another crucial aspect of effective governance. The life sciences sector intersects with various policy areas, including healthcare, education, industry, and trade. Ensuring that policies in these areas are aligned and mutually supportive is essential for creating a cohesive and effective strategy. This requires ongoing dialogue and collaboration between different governmental departments and agencies.

For a new Government, stakeholder engagement is also vital for successful implementation. This includes engaging with industry leaders, healthcare providers, patients, academic institutions, and other relevant parties. By involving a diverse range of stakeholders, the Government can ensure that the strategy reflects the needs and perspectives of all relevant parties and gains broad-based support.

How to Get Involved

The Curia report, developed in partnership with the LSE, and sponsors IQVIA and Genomics PLC offers a comprehensive blueprint for revitalising the UK’s life sciences sector. By focusing on clinically engaged approaches, investment and growth, regulatory frameworks, clinical uptake, and robust governance, the report provides a clear path forward for leveraging the UK’s strengths. For those in the public sector and Curia subscribers, the reader will see recommendations that aim to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of life sciences innovation, delivering tangible benefits for patients and the economy alike.

Following the outcome of the general election, the new Government must take decisive action to harness the UK’s world-leading scientific expertise, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and pioneering AI capabilities. With the right strategic priorities and public policy measures in place, the UK can reclaim its position as a global leader in life sciences and secure a sustainable future for its healthcare system.

Implementing these recommendations will require commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders involved. That means we need your help. Over the coming months, Curia will work with the new Government to help them implement the recommendations in this report, supporting with views about best ways to operationalise their manifesto commitments. To do this we require the help of the NHS to feed in their thoughts and for the life sciences sector to highlight examples of best practice that will highlight new ways of working.

For those who will be able to read the evidence contained in the report, the case studies and the recommendations, your feedback will be incredibly helpful – not just for the Health, Care, and Life Sciences Advisory Board, but also for new Ministers as they navigate their implementation plans.

The challenges are significant, but so are the opportunities. By working together, the UK can create a vibrant and dynamic life sciences sector that drives innovation, improves patient outcomes, and contributes to economic growth.

This is just one of the articles that features in the Health, Care and Life Sciences section of Chamber UK’s pre-election journal. To gain full access, please subscribe here.

New subscribers will receive a copy of the report, alternatively a copy can be purchased at www.chamberuk.com/shop.

This article outlines a key learning from the document and a short summary of a case study.

Key Finding: Clinical Uptake, Adoption and Improved Population Outcomes

Timely access to innovative solutions for patients requires strong clinical leadership, supportive management, and clear pathways for adopting new medicines and technologies. Recognising the challenges in this area, the report proposes a fresh approach that combines centralised ‘push’ strategies with localised ‘pull’ methods to drive access and uptake effectively. This dual approach aims to ensure that innovations reach patients swiftly and are integrated into everyday clinical practice.

One of the major barriers to the adoption of new technologies in healthcare is the complexity of the healthcare system itself. Different regions and institutions may have varying capabilities and resources, making it challenging to implement a one-size-fits-all approach. The proposed combination of centralised and localised strategies addresses this issue by providing a flexible framework that can be adapted to different contexts.

Centralised ‘push’ strategies involve initiatives led by the Government or NHS to promote the adoption of new technologies. These may include national campaigns, funding programmes, and policy mandates that encourage healthcare providers to integrate innovative solutions into their practice.

Localised ‘pull’ methods, on the other hand, focus on creating demand at the grassroots level. This involves engaging with local healthcare providers, patients, and communities to build awareness and support for new technologies. By addressing the specific needs and concerns of local stakeholders, these methods can drive the adoption of innovations in a more organic and sustainable manner.

Case Study

4. C2-AI: Transforming the “Waiting List” Into a “Preparation List”

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s initiative uses risk stratification (C2-Ai) and digital perioperative care (Surgery Hero) to identify and support high-risk patients awaiting surgery. The process involves three stages: referring high-risk individuals for prehabilitation, assigning personal health coaches, and setting health behaviour goals to improve overall wellness. Professor Rowan Pritchard Jones highlighted the technology’s ability to enhance patient outcomes and optimise NHS resources. Tom Coalbran noted a significant reduction in independent sector rejections and improved patient streaming. This approach pre-emptively mitigates negative outcomes, alleviating press ure and allowing the NHS to reinvest resources into services.

How to Get Involved

The Curia report, developed in partnership with the LSE, and sponsors IQVIA and Genomics PLC offers a comprehensive blueprint for revitalising the UK’s life sciences sector. By focusing on clinically engaged approaches, investment and growth, regulatory frameworks, clinical uptake, and robust governance, the report provides a clear path forward for leveraging the UK’s strengths. For those in the public sector and Curia subscribers, the reader will see recommendations that aim to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of life sciences innovation, delivering tangible benefits for patients and the economy alike.

Following the outcome of the general election, the new Government must take decisive action to harness the UK’s world-leading scientific expertise, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and pioneering AI capabilities. With the right strategic priorities and public policy measures in place, the UK can reclaim its position as a global leader in life sciences and secure a sustainable future for its healthcare system.

Implementing these recommendations will require commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders involved. That means we need your help. Over the coming months, Curia will work with the new Government to help them implement the recommendations in this report, supporting with views about best ways to operationalise their manifesto commitments. To do this we require the help of the NHS to feed in their thoughts and for the life sciences sector to highlight examples of best practice that will highlight new ways of working.

For those who will be able to read the evidence contained in the report, the case studies and the recommendations, your feedback will be incredibly helpful – not just for the Health, Care, and Life Sciences Advisory Board, but also for new Ministers as they navigate their implementation plans.

The challenges are significant, but so are the opportunities. By working together, the UK can create a vibrant and dynamic life sciences sector that drives innovation, improves patient outcomes, and contributes to economic growth.

This is just one of the articles that features in the Health, Care and Life Sciences section of Chamber UK’s pre-election journal. To gain full access, please subscribe here.

New subscribers will receive a copy of the report, alternatively a copy can be purchased at www.chamberuk.com/shop.

This article outlines a key learning from the document and a short summary of a case study.

Key Finding: A Regulatory Framework

Exploiting new regulatory freedoms is essential for advancing specific technologies such as wearables, digital technologies, and AI. The report examines how regulatory bodies can support precision population health interventions, including personalised medicines and cell and gene therapies. Additionally, leveraging the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) new framework for medicines and medical devices can expedite the delivery of innovative products to patients and bolster the UK’s leadership in AI within healthcare.

A flexible and forward-thinking regulatory framework is crucial for fostering innovation. Traditional regulatory processes can be slow and cumbersome, hindering the rapid development and deployment of new technologies. By adopting a more agile approach, regulatory bodies can ensure that innovations reach the market faster while maintaining high standards of safety and efficacy.

For example, the integration of AI in healthcare presents unique regulatory challenges. AI algorithms must be rigorously tested to ensure they provide accurate and reliable results. Regulatory bodies need to develop specific guidelines for evaluating AI technologies, taking into account their unique characteristics and potential impact on patient care.

Similarly, precision medicine and cell and gene therapies require tailored regulatory pathways. These treatments often involve complex biological processes and personalised approaches, necessitating a deep understanding of the science behind them. By providing clear and supportive regulatory guidance, the UK can position itself as a leader in these cutting-edge fields.

Case Study

3. PinPoint Data Science: Using the PinPoint Test and AI to Improve Cancer

In 2022-23, three million patients in England received urgent cancer referrals, increasing by 10% annually for over a decade without matching diagnostic capacity. Despite high referral rates, only 6% were diagnosed with cancer, leaving 2.8 million people facing anxiety and costly tests unnecessarily. The AI-driven PinPoint Test, developed by Leeds-based PinPoint Data Science, aims to improve this system by providing ‘intelligent triage’ at the referral stage, assessing cancer probability to prioritise or rule out patients. The Lower GI test, set for deployment in West Yorkshire, could increase compliance with the 62-day treatment target from 49% to over 79%, enhancing equity and efficiency in cancer care.

How to Get Involved

The Curia report, developed in partnership with the LSE, and sponsors IQVIA and Genomics PLC offers a comprehensive blueprint for revitalising the UK’s life sciences sector. By focusing on clinically engaged approaches, investment and growth, regulatory frameworks, clinical uptake, and robust governance, the report provides a clear path forward for leveraging the UK’s strengths. For those in the public sector and Curia subscribers, the reader will see recommendations that aim to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of life sciences innovation, delivering tangible benefits for patients and the economy alike.

Following the outcome of the general election, the new Government must take decisive action to harness the UK’s world-leading scientific expertise, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and pioneering AI capabilities. With the right strategic priorities and public policy measures in place, the UK can reclaim its position as a global leader in life sciences and secure a sustainable future for its healthcare system.

Implementing these recommendations will require commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders involved. That means we need your help. Over the coming months, Curia will work with the new Government to help them implement the recommendations in this report, supporting with views about best ways to operationalise their manifesto commitments. To do this we require the help of the NHS to feed in their thoughts and for the life sciences sector to highlight examples of best practice that will highlight new ways of working.

For those who will be able to read the evidence contained in the report, the case studies and the recommendations, your feedback will be incredibly helpful – not just for the Health, Care, and Life Sciences Advisory Board, but also for new Ministers as they navigate their implementation plans.

The challenges are significant, but so are the opportunities. By working together, the UK can create a vibrant and dynamic life sciences sector that drives innovation, improves patient outcomes, and contributes to economic growth.

This is just one of the articles that features in the Health, Care and Life Sciences section of Chamber UK’s pre-election journal. To gain full access, please subscribe here.

New subscribers will receive a copy of the report, alternatively a copy can be purchased at www.chamberuk.com/shop.

This article outlines some of the key learnings from the document and a short summary of a case study.

Key Learning: Investment, Jobs, and Growth

The removal of EU State Aid restrictions provides a unique opportunity for the UK Government to introduce direct incentives to stimulate growth in the life sciences sector. The report explores how these incentives, combined with other initiatives, can drive job creation and economic growth across R&D and manufacturing. By fostering a supportive environment for innovation, the UK can strengthen its position as a global leader in life sciences.

Investment in life sciences is not just about financial input; it also encompasses creating an ecosystem that nurtures innovation. This includes providing support for startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are often at the forefront of pioneering research. By offering tax incentives, grants, and other financial support, the Government can encourage these companies to invest in new technologies and expand their operations.

Additionally, investment in infrastructure is crucial. Modern research facilities, advanced manufacturing plants, and state-of-the-art laboratories are essential for conducting high-quality research and development. The Government can play a pivotal role in developing such infrastructure, ensuring that the UK has the physical capacity to support cutting-edge research and large-scale production of new medical technologies.

Job creation is another significant aspect of this strategy. By fostering growth in the life sciences sector, the UK can create high-skilled jobs that contribute to the economy. These jobs span various fields, including research, engineering, manufacturing, and regulatory affairs. A thriving life sciences sector not only provides employment opportunities but also attracts talent from around the world, further enhancing the UK’s position as a global leader in this field.

Case Study

2. IQVIA: PATHFINDER: Accelerating the Lung Cancer Patient

IQVIA’s PATHFINDER initiative aimed to improve lung cancer survival rates in the UK by ensuring timely diagnosis and treatment access. Collaboration between the NHS, AstraZeneca, and IQVIA focused on identifying and addressing inefficiencies in patient pathways. Key interventions included data analysis, deep-dive assessments, and implementing recommendations to streamline care. Results showed significant improvements: patient review times reduced from five days to under 24 hours, PET-CT scan wait times cut from five-seven days to two, and 80% of samples reached labs on the same day. PATHFINDER’s success illustrates the potential of digital health technologies in enhancing NHS patient care pathways.

How to Get Involved

The Curia report, developed in partnership with the LSE, and sponsors IQVIA and Genomics PLC offers a comprehensive blueprint for revitalising the UK’s life sciences sector. By focusing on clinically engaged approaches, investment and growth, regulatory frameworks, clinical uptake, and robust governance, the report provides a clear path forward for leveraging the UK’s strengths. For those in the public sector and Curia subscribers, the reader will see recommendations that aim to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of life sciences innovation, delivering tangible benefits for patients and the economy alike.

Following the outcome of the general election, the new Government must take decisive action to harness the UK’s world-leading scientific expertise, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and pioneering AI capabilities. With the right strategic priorities and public policy measures in place, the UK can reclaim its position as a global leader in life sciences and secure a sustainable future for its healthcare system.

Implementing these recommendations will require commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders involved. That means we need your help. Over the coming months, Curia will work with the new Government to help them implement the recommendations in this report, supporting with views about best ways to operationalise their manifesto commitments. To do this we require the help of the NHS to feed in their thoughts and for the life sciences sector to highlight examples of best practice that will highlight new ways of working.

For those who will be able to read the evidence contained in the report, the case studies and the recommendations, your feedback will be incredibly helpful – not just for the Health, Care, and Life Sciences Advisory Board, but also for new Ministers as they navigate their implementation plans.

The challenges are significant, but so are the opportunities. By working together, the UK can create a vibrant and dynamic life sciences sector that drives innovation, improves patient outcomes, and contributes to economic growth.

This is just one of the articles that features in the Health, Care and Life Sciences section of Chamber UK’s pre-election journal. To gain full access, please subscribe here.

New subscribers will receive a copy of the report, alternatively a copy can be purchased at www.chamberuk.com/shop.

Despite the UK Government’s ongoing prioritisation of life sciences, the sector’s performance reveal a concerning trend. The UK’s share in global research and development (R&D) is shrinking, the number of clinical trials is decreasing, and access to new medicines lags other European countries. The forthcoming General Election presents a crucial and overdue opportunity to leverage the nation’s substantial resources, including world-class universities, cutting-edge scientific expertise, and the NHS, while capitalising on the UK’s leadership in Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation.

For a new Government, it is imperative that any new Life Sciences Industrial Strategy avoids past mistakes and involves clinical leaders and NHS managers from the outset. Curia’s Health, Care, and Life Sciences Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan, in collaboration with the London School of Economics (LSE), unites experts from industry and the NHS to develop actionable, pragmatic recommendations that can be swiftly implemented.

It is important to stress that the remit of this work is not to replace strategies already published, but to support the effective implementation of reports already published. Following a meeting with the Shadow Ministerial team earlier this month, the report outlines five strategic priorities and public policy recommendations designed to guide the implementation of party manifestos following the outcome of the next general election.

Key Learning: Clinical Engagement

1. Clinically Engaged Approach Delivered in Partnership with NHS Managers

A key departure from previous strategies is the emphasis on aligning with NHS priorities and improving patient care. The report highlights the critical role a life sciences strategy plays in sustaining the NHS and ensuring its implementation is clinically engaged. By integrating clinical leaders and NHS managers early in the process, the strategy can more effectively address the practical needs of healthcare delivery.

The importance of this approach cannot be overstated. Historically, there has been a disconnect between the strategic goals set at the governmental level and the operational realities faced by the NHS. This disconnect has often led to policies that are difficult to implement or that do not address the immediate needs of patient care. By bringing clinical leaders and NHS managers into the conversation from the beginning, the new strategy aims to create a more cohesive and practical framework that can be readily adopted across the NHS.

Furthermore, this clinically engaged approach ensures that the strategies developed are not only theoretically sound but also practically viable. Clinical leaders bring invaluable insights into patient care, which can help shape policies that directly improve patient outcomes. Involving NHS managers ensures that these policies are operationally feasible and can be integrated into the existing healthcare system without causing disruptions.

Case Study

1. Genomics Plc, the HEART study: Improving prevention of cardiovascular disease with genetics

Genomics Plc’s HEART study integrates genetic information into cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in the UK. The NHS Health Check program uses QRISK tools to predict 10-year CVD risk. The study added polygenic risk scores (PRS) to these assessments in primary care, involving 832 participants. Results showed 90.7% of healthcare professionals found genetics could be easily incorporated, and 98.8% of participants found the test personally useful. The inclusion of PRS led to changes in clinical management for 27.8% of participants. This demonstrates the potential for genetic information to enhance CVD prevention, aligning with NHS strategies and improving population health.

How to Get Involved

The Curia report, developed in partnership with the LSE, and sponsors IQVIA and Genomics PLC offers a comprehensive blueprint for revitalising the UK’s life sciences sector. By focusing on clinically engaged approaches, investment and growth, regulatory frameworks, clinical uptake, and robust governance, the report provides a clear path forward for leveraging the UK’s strengths. For those in the public sector and Curia subscribers, the reader will see recommendations that aim to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of life sciences innovation, delivering tangible benefits for patients and the economy alike.

Following the outcome of the general election, the new Government must take decisive action to harness the UK’s world-leading scientific expertise, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and pioneering AI capabilities. With the right strategic priorities and public policy measures in place, the UK can reclaim its position as a global leader in life sciences and secure a sustainable future for its healthcare system.

Implementing these recommendations will require commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders involved. That means we need your help. Over the coming months, Curia will work with the new Government to help them implement the recommendations in this report, supporting with views about best ways to operationalise their manifesto commitments. To do this we require the help of the NHS to feed in their thoughts and for the life sciences sector to highlight examples of best practice that will highlight new ways of working.

For those who will be able to read the evidence contained in the report, the case studies and the recommendations, your feedback will be incredibly helpful – not just for the Health, Care, and Life Sciences Advisory Board, but also for new Ministers as they navigate their implementation plans.

The challenges are significant, but so are the opportunities. By working together, the UK can create a vibrant and dynamic life sciences sector that drives innovation, improves patient outcomes, and contributes to economic growth.

This is just one of the articles that features in the Health, Care and Life Sciences section of Chamber UK’s pre-election journal. To gain full access, please subscribe here.

•              David Sloman, Former Chief Operating Officer at NHS England

•              Ben Bridgewater, CEO of Health Innovation Manchester

•              Andrew Davies, Digital Health Lead at ABHI

•              Emily Darlington, Councillor at Milton Keynes Council

Transformation and streamlining policy implementation.

The NHS needs to transform. David Sloman began by stating that the NHS requires innovative partnerships with MedTech and digital but that this needs to be done at pace and scale, so it addresses rather than widens inequalities. However, rather than redesigning the existing framework the best method would be, in his opinion, to work within it. NHS England currently sets tasks for priorities with transformation and innovation, but delivery should be addressed regionally with each area having oversight of innovation locally through establishing regional innovation transformation boards and regional innovation funds.

Bridgewater explained that being clear about priorities is important, but this is not aligned at the lowest levels of the health system. This needs to be addressed. He stated that the way software is built, and the structure of NHS innovation processes are very different, and they often clash, stymying innovation.

“One of the things we found super difficult in this, quite frankly, is trying to do that collaboration when everybody’s so beat up doing the day job, trying to find the space for leaders to have those kinds of conversations.”

Ben Bridgewater, CEO of Health Innovation Manchester

Top down, bottom up.

Sloman recommends cross-government clear priorities and targets that are refreshed annually in clear language. The top-level priorities need to be clearly articulated to the local levels as local structures bring together national directives.

“The bottom up is only going to be able to engage effectively if the top-down bit has clearly articulated what the priorities are and what the expectations of people are.”

David Sloman, Former Chief Operating Officer at NHS England

In general, he feels that the UK need to improve at scaling proven innovations and technology, suggesting top-down prioritisation for the best innovations. Currently it takes too long to get equitable access. Bridgewater added there needs to be no uncertainty throughout the system on health missions. Sloman then suggested that regions need to be less regulatory focused, and more delivery based. There should be an individual whose responsibility is to ensure that delivery.

Regular regulation and regulatory frameworks.

Davies feels that there are two critical things: “A reliable, transparent, streamlined regulatory regime that includes international recognition and secondly, an NHS that is structured and resourced to absorb innovation through a transparent pathway with partnerships that lead to adoption and scale.”

He believes it’s vital that UK regulation is clear to industry as there is too much uncertainty in the market, which companies hate. We need to consider how to work with the wider international community for regulation. There’s a deficit in capital funding, it’s delivered short term, is non-recurrent, unhelpful and taken away at short notice.

“Particularly thinking about being ahead in terms of some of the regulation around AI and other things. And if we can get that right, there’s huge opportunities there for us.”

Emily Darlington, Councillor at Milton Keynes Council

Darlington advised a move back to ten-and-twenty-year strategies, especially as there is a lot of political agreement on this. She explained that investing in health would reduce the benefit budget, but this hasn’t been comprehended in government. There’s particularly a lack of support in mental health which creates a huge burden on benefits.

Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group

Curia’s Life Sciences Industrial Strategy for a New Government interim report will be launched soon, where subscribers to Curia’s Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group will be invited to attend. You can sign up to the Curia Newsletter here to be kept informed about our events and reports. If you are interested in subscribing, please email team@curiauk.com to find out more.

We are delighted to be working with sponsors IQVIA and Genomics Plc to deliver the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy for a New Government Programme.

• Lord James O’Shaughnessy, Author, UK Review of Commercial Clinical Trials
• Lord Ara Darzi, Chair of the Accelerated Access Collaborative Board
• Andrew Davies, Digital Health Lead at ABHI
• Seamus Harrison, Vice President of Genomics PLC
• Kristin-Anne Rutter, Executive Director at Cambridge University Health Partners
• Jim McArdle, Head of Business Development Strategy at IQVIA
• Helen Dent, BIVDA Chief Executive

Bringing clinical activity to patients and populations

Starting the session, Lord O’Shaughnessy soon spoke of the requirement (and difficulty) to keep clinical trials on the political agenda as it is hard to quantify the benefits of them. In order to do so, patients would need to be demanding research and have access to trials (with political agendas often being defined by the interests of the people). Currently there is no public clinical trials database for patients to check for trials they would like to participate in, which acts as a detriment to the UK’s clinical trials sector.

Working with patients more was a point also raised by Seamus Harrison, who highlighted that projects he had been involved in, found that patients who had their risk scores shown to them were more likely to engage in preventative methods, and by Helen Dent, who further accented the need for patient access to innovations and the requirement for the NHS to provide evidence of each innovation’s benefits, to motivate change.

The Role of the Centre in Clinical Uptake for the Population

Andrew Davies began their introduction by stating that centrally-driven reviews have not fundamentally changed anything – they don’t address practical issues like pathway changes and upskilling. He said:

“There’s numerous examples now of how once that central funding is withdrawn, you reach a cliff edge and you don’t go any further because it’s not getting baked into business as usual”

Andrew Davies

In his opinion, the role of the centre is creating the right environment for local organisations to implement innovations, supporting them with central expertise. Defining the role of the centre also played a part in Kristin-Anne Rutter’s comments, as she mentioned that the role of the centre should be to foresee trends and be involved in the development of measures to adapt to those, for the good of the population. Kristin-Anne noted a shift towards personalised medicine and big shift in types of innovations, giving recommendations (to be released in Curia’s interim report) to adapt to these shifts.

Balancing Central Pushes with Local Pushbacks on clinical uptake

In exploring the balance between central pushes for innovation, and, crucially, local adoption of this innovation, McArdle explained that local groups don’t have the capacity to engage with innovation (needing to care for their populations), and thus push back against central institutions. Before any top-down approach can be successful there needs to be more system readiness with a greater focus on prevention over treatment. Lord Darzi added that change happens locally and that the national level needs to only set standards. However, he agreed that local levels are resistant to central impositions.

Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group

Curia’s Life Sciences Industrial Strategy for a New Government interim report will be launched after Easter, where subscribers to Curia’s Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group will be invited to attend. You can sign up to the Curia Newsletter here to be kept informed about our events and reports. If you are interested in subscribing, please email team@curiauk.com to find out more.

We are delighted to be working with sponsors IQVIA and Genomics Plc to deliver the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy for a New Government Programme

• Joanne Hackett, Vice President of Health System Services at IQVIA
• Seamus Harrison, Vice President of Genomics Plc
• Ian Hudson, former Chief Executive of MHRA
• Helen Dent, BIVDA Chief Executive
• Indra Joshi, Founding Ambassador for One Health Tech
• Keith McDonald, Head of Drug Development Strategy at IQVIA

Genomics: Maximising Potential

Joanne Hackett elaborated on falling costs for initial genomics testing. However, the skills gap and a lack of public awareness are barriers to wider adoption in screening and broader public health. There cannot be precision medicine without population health which needs longitudinal data. After industry and charities have funded large polygenic risk score projects the health system will have more confidence to invest.

“Charities and registries, they often have data that’s not captured in primary care or in a hospital setting. Hospitals have data that’s unique to understanding patient management and flow. Governments collect data that is more about how money is spent in publicly funded systems.”

Joanne Hackett, Vice President of Health System Services at IQVIA

Seamus Harrison agreed that the UK leads on genomics but suggested devoting more time to common disease that impact population health.

“We at genomics have done a trial of putting polygenic risk scores into routine health checks in the NHS that was really well received by patients and physicians.”

Seamus Harrison, Vice President of Geonomics Plc

Maintaining Regulatory Competence

Hudson felt that MHRA has an excellent advisory committee structure with lots of generalists who have some areas of expertise but can then find specific experts through the committee. Given the importance of AI MHRA will need to build internal competency as it cannot solely rely on external experts. McDonald concurred but added that the regulatory committee competes with industry for talent.

The UK’s future lies in international recognition, according to Andrew Davis, but unfortunately, we will recognise other nations, they won’t recognise the UK initially.

Learning from Covid

During Helen Dent’s introduction she argued that the UK needs to reassert its attractiveness to the global economy which, due to the smaller profit potential from the NHS and ambiguous regulation, is not great. She feels that UK regulation is possibly unduly stringent and should align more with global regulation.

“Risk based approach to surveillance, as opposed to a heavy evidence based approach to adoption, would be useful. This would quicken the regulatory process, but ultimately not at the detriment of patients or safety.”

Helen Dent, BIVDA Chief Executive

The exceptional streamlining and swift adoption of technology during covid-19 has stopped. Under the covid methods innovations were granted temporary approval with in-market monitoring which sped up adoption without significant risk to the patients as data gathering methods were there for safety monitoring. Dent theorised that this could be a viable strategy for some innovations.

AI: The Future

Indra Joshi largely focused on AI and its regulation exceptionalism in healthcare. There are lots of new language models and generative AI being developed that regulation is not set up for. Going forward the health system needs to recruit talent that will understand this technology as currently the NHS is around five years behind necessary competency.

Why are People Leaving?

Joshi found significant frustration with the system due to changing processes, competing organisation guidelines and insufficient budgets. To reverse this consistent leadership is needed. Davis explained that while individuals have left those individuals are mostly still present in industry or other organisations. He wondered how MHRA can work with other organisations to utilise the expertise. He feels that the UK needs to manage population health, fitness and wellbeing (and get that data into the health system), but that there is unclear regulation.

Balancing Risk

Risk should be continually reviewed, Dent says, especially with new technology and AI. The problem is that innovations are assessed centrally and then many different times throughout the health system. The central approval needs to be trusted to reduce the need for further approval.

Streamlining the Pathway and Increasing Transparency.

SME’s have difficulty tackling regulatory requirements due to fewer staff Dent explained, it’s less that there is a lack of transparency and more that regulation is overly complicated and clunky. She considered that, perhaps, starting from scratch would be best, beginning with the end goal and working backwards.

Final thoughts: Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group

As the Research Group continues the first phase of the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy Programme (and looks into launching similar work on oncology), we invite thought leaders to get involved.

We thank lead sponsors of the Programme: IQVIA and Genomics Plc.

Curia’s interim report will be launched after Easter, where we will be inviting supporters of Curia and members of the Research Group to attend. You can sign up to the Curia Newsletter here to be kept informed about our events and reports. Furthermore, members of the Research Group will gain access to the full work of the Programme, including the full recording of the inquiry session.

Finally, with the aim to showcase how to turn policy into practice, the Curia team are always interested in receiving case studies of best practice that may feed into this work. If you or a colleague might know about a case where policy was effectively delivered into practice, please send details of the case study with learnings to team@curiauk.com. These will be shared with our Research Group Advisory Board, leaders in the NHS/public sector and Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group members.

This article was written by Joshua Coyle

Following several meetings with Life Sciences sector stakeholders, policy institute Curia’s Life Sciences Industrial Strategy Programme for a New Government was launched last month. The second inquiry session focused on ‘Investment, Jobs and Growth.’ Chaired by Richard Stubbs, Chair of the national Health Innovation Network, Dr Tony Hockley, Director of the Policy Analysis Centre at the London School of Economics, Dr Keith Ridge, former Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for NHS England, and former Health Minister, Professor Ann Keen. Keynote speakers joined the Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group. These included:

• Richard Phillips, Executive Director of Policy, and Partnerships, ABHI
• Helen Dent, Interim Chief Executive, BIVDA
• Angela McFarlane, Vice President, Strategic Planning Northern Europe, IQVIA

Life Sciences: Healthtech and Implementation:

Richard Phillips kicked off the meeting by explaining that health technology is a different industry to the rest of life sciences. On average Healthtech takes 12-18 months to implement compared to 10-12 years for pharmaceuticals. Regulating Healthtech is challenging, including assessment and health system integration (most Healthtech requires pathway change). He was concerned with maintaining the UK’s economic attractiveness to grow the economy in general and specifically the life sciences sector.

“Half of companies in our recent survey, at the end of last year, removed products from the market because of regulatory challenges. A quarter removed them because of the price the NHS is willing to pay, and two thirds are delay in bringing innovation into the UK.”

Richard Phillips, Executive Director of Policy, and Partnerships, ABHI

He advised that the best option is to make the NHS a better place to sell to. Lots of companies are moving to the US or scaling back their UK distribution. Tax credit thresholds are often too high for small companies though the Life Science Innovation Manufacturing fund coming into force will help to offset this. The UK spends significantly more on research than on implementation, these positions need to be reversed.

Life Sciences: Increasing the UK’s investment:

Helen Dent strongly agreed with Richard and additionally suggested the UK look at risk and gain sharing with long term partnerships. To help facilitate this funding should be lifecycle based not annual. This would be determined by how long the product is going to be used and when does it need return on investment to be attractive to investors. Furthermore, she suggested premium funding for companies meeting national objectives such as jobs, equality, or sustainability.

Innovations Taking Too Long?

Concluding the speaker presentations Angela McFarlane warned cancer studies in the UK declined by 50%. She stated that the UK needs to implement the O’Shaughnessy review recommendations as it can take up to four years on average for innovations to be implemented by ICS’ after two years going through NICE. We are behind Europe as their cancer trails are not done against a placebo baseline but by their improvement over current standards.

Incentivising Private Investment:

The chairs then opened the meeting to questions, firstly on direct incentives to private investment. Phillips advised linking incentives funding for research and implementation ensuring innovations are supported throughout their life cycle. Dent agreed there is not enough support for implementation. Many companies have a NICE recommendation but cannot get to market and are about to cease trading! She wanted the UK to recognise that commercialisation is not the only measure of success for innovations.

Getting Hospitals Invested:

“Global sponsors, when they are thinking about which countries they are going to invest in, are going to go for the country that can get first patient in study as quickly as possible. We did well in Covid, and we were running most of the COVID vaccine studies and the UK was well, first patient in every single time.”

Angela McFarlane, Vice President, Strategic Planning Northern Europe, IQVIA

After covid, however, a lot of researchers returned to the front line at hospitals and do not have time for research. She suggested bringing technology and AI in and let hospitals do the studies on site, encouraging staff to be freed up for research.

Dent highlighted that UK health data is enormous- the largest single payer health system in the world. However, information governance gets in the way and structural change is needed. She feels the UK needs to be less squeamish about sharing data. Another problem is that research is nobody’s “job,” and that the UK needs a chief innovation officer at board level in all NHS organisations.

Growth as a National Benefit:

Dent felt that both ideas and manufacturing need to be considered valuable and remember that life sciences can be done in any part of the country. Angela followed up by advocating looking for regions that optimize a health data enabled approach, using the UK unique asset of longitudinal data. Phillips emphasised that health equals wealth.

Final thoughts: Health, care and Life Sciences Research Group:

As the Research Group continues the first phase of the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy Programme, and investigates launching similar work on oncology, we invite thought leaders to get involved.

We thank lead sponsors of the Programme: IQVIA and Genomics Plc.

Curia’s interim report will be launched after Easter, where we will be inviting supporters of Curia and members of the Research Group to attend. You can sign up to the Curia Newsletter here to be kept informed about our events and reports. Furthermore, members of the Research Group will gain access to the full work of the Programme, including the full recording of the inquiry session.

Finally, with the aim to showcase how to turn policy into practice, the Curia team are always interested in receiving case studies of best practice that may feed into this work. If you or a colleague might know about a case where policy was effectively delivered into practice, please send details of the case study with learnings to team@curiauk.com. These will be shared with our Research Group Advisory Board, leaders in the NHS/public sector and Health, Care and Life Sciences Research Group members.

This article was written by Joshua Coyle.