World news story

British executives to visit Israel as Life Sciences & Tech relations thrive

Annual Israel Innovation Conference to be held at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds May 20-22 2014.

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Biomed

In yet another example of the broadening relations between the United Kingdom and Israel in the Life Sciences sector, a delegation of British industry executives will arrive in Israel for the annual Israel Innovation Conference (MIXiii 2014) to be held at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds May 20-22, focusing on Hi Tech and Biomed. The British Embassy in Israel will host a significant presence at the conference.

Cosponsored by the UK Israel Tech Hub and UK Trade & Investment, the Embassy’s booth will host eight UK-based companies, as well as the National Health Service (NHS). Independently, five British companies will also exhibit and over 40 UK representatives are expected to attend the conference. Among the British visitors will be Kieran Murphy, President and CEO of GE Healthcare’s Life Sciences division; Dr. Matthew Hallsworth and Ravi Chana of the NHS.

On the heels of MIXiii, The British Embassy in Israel will host a number of events. On Wednesday, 21 May, Dr. Matthew Hallsworth of NHS will give a TED-style speech (10:10 Teva pavilion); the same day, NHS will lead a panel discussion on the topic of the “Effective and efficient Clinical R&D - Taking advantage of the UK’s expert research infrastructure” (16:40, Hall A); and on Thursday, 22 May, HM Ambassador Matthew Gould will join a small reception marking UK – Israel collaboration (10:30,UK Israel Partnership Booth).

Over the past few years, British companies have found Israel to be fertile ground for scientific and technical innovation, resulting in unprecedented commercial and scientific partnerships. Recently, Prime Minister David Cameron announced a major commitment from Israel’s Teva Pharmaceuticals, the largest suppliers of pills to the UK, during his first official visit to Israel this March. Under this collaboration, Teva will invest over £12 million in clinical research via NOCRI, the clinical trials body of the NHS. Earlier this year, pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline signed a long-term research collaboration with the Rappaport Institute of the Technion for the joint development of novel immunology therapies. In the past year, Foreign Minister William Hague announced academic cooperations between the two countries and the Minister of State for Universities and Science opened the second BIRAX conference on regenerative medicine in Haifa.

Dr Iris Geffen Gloor, Biomed Manager at the UK Israel Tech Hub said: “The Israel Innovation Conference is a great opportunity for both countries to celebrate their growing number of partnerships, as well as create new opportunities that will benefit researchers, patients and the business community. The UK Israel Tech Hub and UK Trade & Investment are putting massive efforts in helping UK companies discover Israeli Biomed innovation and in assisting Israeli companies to partner with the great research infrastructure of the UK”.

Further information

The UK Israel Tech Hub at the British Embassy Israel helps drive economic growth in both countries by building a partnership in technology. The Hub’s goal is to create partnerships in which British companies gain a global competitive edge via Israeli innovation, and Israeli innovation goes global via the UK.

UK Trade & Investment The commercial section at the British Embassy, Israel, is part of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) – a British Government Organisation that helps business people and companies wishing to set up their business in the UK, and promotes trade between the UK and many countries around the world.

Contact information:

Sagi Or, Media Assistant, UK Israel Tech Hub, British Embassy Israel.

Tel: +972-50-5937467 Email: sagi@ukisraelhub.com

Published 14 May 2014