The UK Government has published an update following the first year of its Life Sciences Sector Plan. 

It found the UK life sciences sector attracted more than £3bn in new public-private investment over the past 12 months. These include investments from AstraZeneca, Moderna and UCB on R&D facilities across the country. 

The Life Sciences Sector Plan: One Year On update says the plan has also enabled patients to benefit from new drugs, including the world’s first-ever immunotherapy for type 1 diabetes, and faster access to life-saving medicines. 

Clinical trial set-up times dropped from 169 to 122 days and patients are expected to get new medicines up to 6 months sooner under the new joint MHRA-NICE approval process.

The update reports the life sciences sector generates about £147bn in turnover and employs 360,000 people. 

An accompanying Life Sciences Job Plan aims to unlock talent needed for 66,000 additional jobs in priority occupations such as lab technicians, chemical scientists and software developers by 2035.

Gerard Hanratty, Partner and Head of Health and Life Sciences at UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson, said: “These numbers represent significant milestones and indicate we are moving in the right direction in embracing the potential of the life sciences sector within the UK economy, but there remains plenty more to do. 

“We have long argued that reducing friction between the regulatory and access pathways is fundamental to making the UK a genuinely attractive market – not just for innovators, but for the inward investment that will enable the NHS to modernise on a sustainable footing. The MHRA’s work in recognising some international approvals of medical devices will help to make the UK a more attractive destination for MedTech investment.

“The formal incorporation of the Health Data Research Service is another meaningful step. The UK has unrivalled health data infrastructure due to cradle-to-grave records held by the NHS, a diverse population and good links between health information and our research community – making this one of the country’s most compelling assets for life sciences investors.

“However, barriers that deter international partners remain stubbornly in place. These include fragmented procurement processes, the absence of an ‘NHS front door’ for investors, and the need for a coherent national strategy on NHS commercial engagement. 

“From a regulatory perspective, the MHRA's planned International Reliance Pathway and consultation on indefinite recognition of CE-marked medical devices in Great Britain could streamline medical device market access and support the UK in positioning itself as a genuinely competitive launch market. A flexible regulatory approach, as well as an adequately funded and empowered MHRA, is critical to the UK’s ambition to become a major player in life sciences. 

“The figures in this update demonstrate the plan is working. The task now is to go further and faster – matching regulatory excellence with the broader investment architecture, procurement reform and NHS commercial engagement that will turn this momentum into a lasting competitive advantage.”