Life Sciences Autumn Package and NHS Chief Executive Review of Innovation

SONNING, England, December 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

The Japanese Pharmaceutical Group (JPG) welcomes the announcements made today by the Government with measures under the 'Life Sciences Autumn Package' and the 'NHS Chief Executive Review of Innovation', which are positive not just for the life sciences industry, the NHS and patients, but for the UK economy as well.

The Government launch recognises that the challenge for growth, in the life sciences sector, relies on a positive commercial environment, right through the life cycle of healthcare products. As an important sector of the UK economy the industry, and the JPG, welcome initiatives such as R&D tax credits, better research collaboration, robust, but simplified regulation and transparent evaluation of therapies, rapid and consistent access to, and reward for, innovation, amongst others.

The life sciences industry is global and adapting to a new environment, particularly in the UK. Here, the necessary improvements in the healthcare system coupled with a drive for efficiencies, provides opportunities for collaboration between industry and the NHS. Measures to ensure consistent implementation of NICE recommendations with the elimination of duplication of evaluation at various levels, will improve both the access patients have to new technologies and reduce variation in best practice.

Measures to improve access and uptake should however be applied to all innovative new medicines regardless of whether they are evaluated by NICE.

Innovation may come in small steps, rather than significant leaps, but each incremental change may lead to greater patient satisfaction, more efficient use of resources, elimination of poor practice or introduction of a more holistic and appropriate treatment approach. Implementation of such partnerships can deliver more than this ultimate goal of better patient outcomes; they show that the UK is 'open for business', and that adoption and diffusion of innovation is high on the UK agenda bringing confidence to the UK as a place to invest.

The UK has unique opportunities through the NHS for improvement in patient care. Rewarding those who invest to bring innovation to UK patients is good for patients, the NHS and the industry, but it is also good for the UK economy. This is recognised in the launch today and as other negotiations continue between the industry and Government the hope is that this continues to be a theme reinforcing the commitment both parties have in delivering better, affordable healthcare and a vibrant life sciences industry in the UK.

Notes for Editors

JPG Background

The Japanese Pharmaceutical Group (JPG) is an association of 9 pharmaceutical companies of Japanese origin, namely Astellas, Chugai, Daiichi-Sankyo, Dainippon Sumitomo, Eisai, Kowa, Mitsubishi, Otsuka and Takeda.

The member companies represent a diverse range of organisations, of varying size and presence and includes companies ranking in the top 20 in the UK. Some members focus their UK activities on the various stages of pharmaceutical research, whilst others also have sales and marketing operations and a minority with UK manufacturing capability.

All members of the JPG conduct research and development in the UK, making significant investment both in terms of resource and advancement of clinical understanding and experience of new chemical entities. Over £160 million was invested by JPG members in R&D in the last year. All but one of the members have their European headquarters in the UK, making their presence here important not just to the UK, but to the European region, as it competes for investment, within these global corporations, against the US and Japanese markets.

As a group the JPG employs over 1600 people in the UK, many of whom are highly skilled and educated graduates, working on therapeutic advances in a wide range of clinical areas. Therapeutic categories of products covered by JPG members include; anti-infectives, cardiovascular, central nervous system  (Alzheimers, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke), diabetes,  dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, immunology, metabolism, nephrology, oncology, pain, transplant and urology. Some of these innovations are for rare and life threatening conditions, or more difficult to treat diseases, or disorders for which there are few treatments, not just in the therapeutic areas affecting large numbers of the population.

Approximately half of the JPG members have products which are marketed in the UK and around the globe. In terms of the financial contribution these make to the UK economy, sales are currently in excess of £410 million per annum.

Japanese companies have made significant investment in the UK and see the UK as an important country in which to have a presence as demonstrated by the number of European headquarters located here.  

The Japanese Pharmaceutical Industry is seeking to expand through investment around the world and the UK has historically been an attractive market but now competes with the developing countries.