Call to arms as UK falls back in medicines manufacturing

 An industry coalition says the UK needs to take drastic steps to reverse the sharp decline in pharmaceutical manufacturing in recent years.

The sector could be a driver of the UK economy, according to a recently released report from the Pharmaceuticals and Manufacturing Partnership (MMIP), which was set up by the UK government and the biopharmaceutical industry in 2014 to drive growth in this category. It is said that there is To become the next decade.

However, we must build on recent successes in areas such as advanced therapeutic drugs (ATMPs) such as cell and gene therapy, and the manufacture of high-value pharmaceuticals such as mRNA-based therapeutics.

Unfortunately, established trends are clearly heading in the wrong direction. Over the past 25 years, the number of people employed in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector has fallen by 7,000 and output has fallen by almost a third (29%) since 2009, reducing the attractiveness of UK manufacturing to suggesting that it is declining.

Since 2010, the UK has fallen from 4th to 98th in overall pharmaceutical trade balance, according to the MMIP, due to increased global competition. Over the same period, similar countries such as Ireland, France and Germany have moved to increase manufacturing productivity, output and exports.

It’s not all bad news. The manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical devices contributed her £30bn ($37bn) worth of annual exports to the UK in 2019, plus her £32.1bn gross value added (GVA) to the UK’s economic output. contributed According to MMIP, it is important to “raise the level of ambition.”

His report is under the auspices of the UK’s Life Sciences Vision (LSV) scheme, £20m grants for investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing and £60m life sciences innovation under the 2020 annual audit. It points to some positive developments, such as the Industrial Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF). Announced in March 2022.

LSIMF was announced as part of a total £354m investment in life sciences manufacturing, said MMIP, adding: “It is important to understand when and how the remaining £294m will be allocated. is important,” he added.

He also highlights the beneficial impact of the UK Catapult innovation network, led by his 9 technology centers in 40 locations, as well as significant recent investments by British companies. Notable examples include his two 10-year partnerships with mRNA experts Moderna and BioNTech.

According to the MMIP, the UK has a leading global development of pharmaceutical manufacturing sustainability targets, new technologies and indicators that will drive changes to the R&D tax relief framework to create the right financial environment for growth. I have an opportunity.

Originally published at https://businessdor.com on January 24, 2023.