Government launches life science ‘super cluster’

The UK Life Sciences Super Cluster will bring together industry expertise, academia and the NHS to develop the next generation of life-changing medicines and healthcare technologies that will be available to patients suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

The cluster is the latest initiative to emerge from the Life Sciences Blueprint which was published last year by the Office for Life Sciences with the aim of establishing the UK sector as one of the most investment-friendly in the world.

Our Life Sciences industry is exactly the type of high-tech, high-value industry where Britain has real strengths and the potential for growth in the future.

Lord Mandelson

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

The Government has pledged £1 million to support the new super cluster which will begin work later this year with a pilot in immunology and inflammation.

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Lord Mandelson said: “Our Life Sciences industry is exactly the type of high-tech, high-value industry where Britain has real strengths and the potential for growth in the future.

“The Government has demonstrated that we are prepared to take real action to support Life Sciences and this is already having an impact on investment decisions, but this is just the beginning. We will maintain this momentum and continue to build a thriving environment for UK Life Science”.

Commenting on the potential breakthroughs in healthcare treatments that could arise from the new cluster, Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson said the NHS “must be an engine for economic growth as well as providing the best healthcare free at the point of use”.

A number of incentives have been unveiled as part of the blueprint including a 10% rate of corporation tax on income that is generated from new patents.

Copyright © Press Association 2009