26th February 2016
UK’s life sciences sector is ambitious for the EU
UK life science businesses see the future of our sector in Europe. We are supportive of effective reform in Europe. We are ambitious for the UK’s future in Europe. We are ambitious for the EU in the world.
Letter published in the Financial Times, 24 February 2016
Sir,
The UK life sciences sector is growing and continually evolving as one of the key high-tech, high-growth sectors that the UK’s economy needs. Our industry is a global one where the UK already punches above its weight.
Continued engagement with, and reform of a more competitive EU offers the UK the opportunity to build on previous success. The established joined-up system for our highly regulated sector across this single market – the largest by volume in the world – benefits patients and citizens. It is also the secure foundation we need to future-proof growth for a 21st century bioeconomy that yields benefits for the UK.
The UK’s membership of the EU offers various advantages to the UK life sciences sector.
The UK is a net recipient of EU funding for its health research, accessing more funding per capita than any other country. Many biotech companies have benefitted from Horizon 2020 and its predecessors, and leaving the EU would leave a significant research funding gap.
Over a generation, regulators and legislators have built up an integrated European regulatory framework for clinical research and development of new, innovative medicines. It is cornerstoned in the UK, and has significant UK input. We are at present building an integrated Unitary Patent system, which will have a key presence in the UK through a London-based Court for pharmaceutical patents. London is also the home of the EU-wide regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
If the UK were to leave the EU it would risk unpicking all of that successful work. It would affect regulatory frameworks, the leadership role of the UK’s Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the EU, access to finance and capital, our intellectual property and patents ecosystem, and most importantly patient access to medicines. The EMA would have to leave London because EU institutions agencies cannot be located outside the Union’s borders
Not only would an exit from the EU negatively impact the life sciences sector, but changing the current arrangement would lead to disruption, expense, and significant regulatory burdens for a new authorisation system. It could also pose significant risks to the UK’s attractiveness for inward investment and as a location for the world-leading talent the life sciences sector depends upon. All of this would have negative consequences for the UK and its economy.
UK life science businesses see the future of our sector in Europe. We are supportive of effective reform in Europe. We are ambitious for the UK’s future in Europe. We are ambitious for the EU in the world.
- Steve Bates, CEO, BioIndustry Association (BIA)
- Dr Jane Osbourn, Medimmune, Chair of BIA Board
- Mr Pascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca UK Ltd
- Dr Will West, Executive Chairman, Cell Centric and BIA Board
- Mr Keith Thompson, CEO, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult and BIA Board
- Dr Darrin Disley, Chief Executive Officer and President, Horizon Discovery Ltd and BIA Board
- Dr Patrick Vallance, President Pharmaceuticals R&D, GSK
- Dr Kevin Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Imanova Ltd and BIA Board
- Dr Andrew Lightfoot, Chief Executive Officer, Peptinnovate Ltd and BIA Board
- Dr Neil Murray, Chief Executive Officer, Redx Pharma Plc and BIA Board
- Dr Ed Hodgkin, Syncona Partners and BIA Board
- Dr Julian Gilbert, Chief Executive Officer, Acacia Pharma
- David Mead, Director, Business Development, Albumedix
- Jenny Murray, Managing Director, Antibody Production Services
- Steve McConchie, CEO, Aptus Clinical
- Dr Harren Jhoti, CEO & President, Astex Pharmaceuticals
- Dr Erik Miljan CEO, BioDivide Limited
- Lin Bateson, Director, Biopartner UK
- Geoff Davison, CEO, Bionow
- Emily Humphrys, Commercial Director, Cambridge Research Biochemicals
- Mr Gregg Sando, Chief Executive Officer, Cell Medica Ltd
- Dr Edward Green, Chief Executive Officer, Chain Biotechnology Ltd
- Mr Peter George, Group Chief Executive, Clinigen Group Plc
- Dr Peter Pack, Chief Executive Officer, Crescendo Biologics Ltd
- Dr Robert Scoffin, Chief Executive Officer, Cresset Biomolecular Discovery Limited
- Dr Anthony Baxter, CEO, Cyprotex plc
- Emma Banks, CEO, Datatrial
- Mr David Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Discuva Ltd
- Dr Eddy Littler, Chief Executive Officer, Domainex
- Mr Brian Cass, Chief Executive, Envigo
- Dr Peter Warn, SVP Anti-Infectives Discovery, Evotec
- Mr Lyndon Owen, Managing Director, E2L
- Dr John Haurum, Chie f Executive Officer, F-star
- Dr Philippe Jenny, CEO, Gelexir Healthcare
- Dr Mark Carnegie-Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Glide Pharmaceutical Technologies Ltd
- Dr Dave Simpson, CEO, Glythera
- Dr Malcolm Weir, CEO, Heptares Therapeutics
- Eliot Forster, CEO, Immunocore Ltd
- Dr Aidan Murphy, Senior Vice President Biologics Development & Manufacturing, Ipsen Biopharm Ltd
- Dr Simon Kerry, Chief Executive Officer, Karus Therapeutics Ltd
- Mr Tim Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, LGC Ltd
- Debbie Laubach, Operations Manager, MediWales
- Dr Andreas Schatzlein, Chief Executive Officer, Nanomerics
- Rob Carson, CEO, Newtec Vascular Products
- Harriet Fear, CEO, One Nucleus
- Dr Anthony Holmes, CEO, Optasia Medical
- Dr Ted Fjallman, Chief Executive Officer, Prokarium Ltd
- Dr John Beadle, Chief Executive Officer, PsiOxus Therapeutics Ltd
- Dr Oliver Hardick, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Puridify Ltd
- Mr Aidan Courtney, Chief Executive Officer, Roslin Cell Science Ltd
- Mrs Tarja Stenvall, General Manager, Sanofi UK
- Dr Hans Fliri, Chairman and CEO, Selcia Limited
- Mr Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive Officer, Summit (Oxford) Limited
- Dr Matthew Lakelin, CSO, TrakCel Limited
- Dr Julian Smith, Pharmaceutical Director, Viridian Pharma Ltd