Life Sciences in the South West of England
The South West of England Regional Development Agency
(www.southwestrda.org.uk)
is responsible for helping US companies to set up their
European operations in the South West of England. We are
one of the sponsors for the BELS group and encourage Biotech
companies in the US to have an in-depth look on what we
can offer leading Biotech investment.
The UK is one of the world’s leading biotechnology
economies and has been a centre for excellence in biosciences
academic research since the discovery of the DNA double
helix in Cambridge and King’s College London 50
years ago this April. The UK institutes played a pivotal
role in decoding the human genome in the 1990’s,
and are central to developments in the post-genomic era.
UK universities and Institutes remain at the forefront
of global research, and this research expertise is harnessed
through a number of technology transfer groups throughout
the country. The UK is a leading trading nation, in which
the needs of intellectual property dependent companies
are met by a strong research base, very favourable tax
breaks for R & D (recently adjusted by the Chancellor
of the Exchequer to maximise the benefit to small and
medium sized enterprises), and a highly developed banking
and venture capital sector. A pro-business government
supports a clear and fair regulatory regime for biosciences;
effective trade organisations and international technology
promoters with expertise in specific bioscience disciplines.
Together these factors create a very favourable investment
climate for biosciences and related R&D. The UK’s
biotechnology industry is the best established in Europe,
and its maturity has led to the formation of companies
that rival and in some cases exceed those of the US for
research excellence and market presence.
The South West of England’s excellence in biotechnology
reflects the UK model of essential strengths in the bioscience
base together with a growing entrepreneurial culture.
The South West of England is home to internationally recognised
pockets of biomedical and biotechnology expertise. Bioscience
in the South West is rapidly establishing a critical mass
which is dynamic and adaptable, fully participating in
international collaborative research and joint ventures
which the entrepreneurial culture demands. Bioscience
is supported by proactive university business support
initiatives and collaboration with businesses.
South West biotech companies reflect the overall strengths
of the UK bioindustry, which are:
The South West Biotechnology sector includes:
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40 - 50 companies undertaking core R & D
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90 - 100 companies supporting the sector
-
10 - 15 developing companies (yr 1-2), all of whom
strengthen the South West lead in existing disciplines
The South West of England Regional Development Agency
is committed to nurturing and developing the biosciences
sector in the region.
A comprehensive package of support is available to biobusiness
in the South West region:
-
World class facilities: the region is creating specialised
bioincubation facilities and science parks to encourage
expansion and the growth biobusinesses
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World class expertise
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Strong research-based academic institutions
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An excellent network of bio suppliers
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Strong support organisations
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An entrepreneurial skills base including a consistent
supply of postgraduates and post doctoral researchers
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A growing cluster of young high tech companies with
intellectual property portfolios
-
Introductions to facilitate collaborative research
and partnerships with companies, universities and
research centres
-
Introductions to specialists for facilitating biobusiness
BioApproaches South West (www.bioapproaches.co.uk) is
the dedicated business and professional development group
for the biotechnology sector in the South West. The role
of Bioapproaches South West is to catalyse the business
and professional development of the biotechnology sector
through access to information, training and network activities
to create business advantage.
The South West Story
In the South West of England innovative companies of
international renown are rapidly responding to global
markets and investment challenges. The South West is increasingly
recognised as the place to develop a bioscience company.
A cross section of the variety of specialisms in companies
already operating in the region includes:
South West Centres of Excellence in Biotech Expertise
Entrepreneurial activity in the South West thrives on
the wealth of research excellence. Proactive universities
with excellent reputations for science and biotechnology
research support developments in the biosciences sector.
Following on from this, the commercialisation of intellectual
property in the region is enhanced by the culture of enterprise
in the universities which facilitates licensing deals
and spin-out companies. There are also major independent
research organisations in the South West (such as Centre
for Applied Microbiological Research - CAMR) which fully
participate in the development of the sector.
S W Universities with Research Excellence in Biosciences:
(Please see separate listing for specialist information)
Leading universities in the region together are ranked
on a par with Cambridge or Oxford for the scale and quality
of their research (as rated by a UK National Research
Assessment Exercise in 2001 (RAE)).
The universities with bioscience expertise are:
University of Bristol www.bristol.ac.uk
University of Bath www.bath.ac.uk
University of Exeter
www.ex.ac.uk
University of West of England www.uwe.ac.uk
University of Plymouth www.plymouth.ac.uk
All the academic research centres in the region have
business support and technology transfer capabilities.
How South West Universities Work for Business in the
Region:
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Exceptionally strong links with industry
-
Collaborative commercial activity (licensing, joint
ventures, spin-out companies, support for incubator
and innovation units)
-
Vocationally relevant courses
-
Internationally recognised centres of excellence
-
Source of high calibre employees
-
Established global networks
-
Exploitation of knowledge to create commercial advantage
Major Independent Research Organisations in the South
West:
CAMR (Centre for applied Microbiological Research) based
in Porton Down, Wiltshire, conducts research into infectious
diseases on behalf of the UK Department of Health. CAMR
has laboratory facilities that are able to handle pathogens
up to and including Biosafety level 4. A major recent
development is the partnership with the Battelle Memorial
Institute and with CDC Atlanta in the US on the anthrax
vaccine, adding to its existing portfolio of anthrax expertise.
An extremely high level of expertise in vaccine technology
enables DSTL to undertake targeted commercial research
in vaccine development and production. The facilities
at Porton Down are world class and world renowned. DSTL
also has expertise in microbiological and molecular biology,
toxicology and pharmacology which is highly relevant to
drug evaluation and handling highly toxic agents.
World Class Facilities for Biosciences in the South
West
The facilities environment in the South West region is
highly supportive of the biosciences industry, offering
a life cycle of opportunities to companies from business
mentoring of ideas, to virtual incubation, to pre-incubation
and incubation for start-up companies. For larger companies,
science park accommodation is available.
Incubator units can be found at both Exeter and Bristol
universities, the Tamar Science Park in Plymouth and Winfrith
Science Park in Dorset. The facilities at Exeter University
are currently being expanded to accommodate the dynamic
growth of small companies requiring accommodation. The
accommodation and services it provides create an environment
suitable for the development of bioscience companies.
The units offer managed office space and access to business
support services. Spin-out companies from the Universities
are welcomed and benefit from access to world class research
and high calibre students.
Plymouth International Business Park is a major new 33
acre initiative from the South West RDA. Plans include
the creation of a medical park of international calibre
and one of the largest hospital and research complexes
in Europe. The site is adjacent to Derriford Hospital
(one of the biggest in Europe) and adjacent to the Tamar
Science Park (offering incubators and larger units) and
the Peninsula Medical School. The Peninsula Medical School
is the UK’s newest medical school and has initiated
the development of a significant research programme focusing
on diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, stroke and neurological
diseases. The research programme includes the integration
of molecular genetic testing with clinical medicine.
Q West - a Science Park for Bristol Planning is in the
works for a new science park at Emerson’s Green,
Bristol; a project in which the Universities’ of
Bristol and Bath are heavily involved. Permission has
been granted for 800,000 square feet of high technology
accommodation on a 63 acre green field site at Emerson’s
Green, branded as Q West. The park will create a vibrant
high technology cluster, which will link to the universities.
The universities’ initial involvement will be through
a 15,000 sq ft Academic Innovation Centre, the second
phase of which may include category 2 biotech laboratories.
Other facilities for biobusiness in the region include
Porton Down Science Park in Wiltshire and Winfrith Science
Park in Dorset which has developed links with the University
of Southampton (Hampshire).
Support for Biosciences in the South West The South West
of England Regional Development Agency is strongly committed
to developing and growing the sector in the region. The
agency will provide support and practical help to enable
companies to benefit from the many advantages of setting
up, growing or relocating a new business to the region.
The South West RDA works closely with all the support
agencies in the region; Invest UK in London and has overseas
offices in North America and Japan.
The South West RDA works in collaboration with the support
organisations BioApproaches, Bio Elf and Western Arc,
all of which provide business and professional development
assistance for bioscience in the South West.
Contact for further information:-
Roy Lock in the US 847 359 7856
Kathryn Ellis in the US 617 481 1377
Simone Wilding in the UK on 001 44 933 0267
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