UKTI inks life sciences MoU with ABLE
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the Association of Biotech Led Enterprise (ABLE) today signed a memorandum of understanding to encourage and develop collaborative opportunities between Indian Life Sciences organisations and the United Kingdom, in Bangalore.
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the Association of Biotech Led Enterprise (ABLE) today signed a memorandum of understanding to encourage and develop collaborative opportunities between Indian Life Sciences organisations and the United Kingdom, in Bangalore. This MoU is a milestone for the UK Oncology Mission, which is on a tri-city tour (Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai) from 2 September to 7 September 2013. The 12-member UK delegation comprises prominent members from universities, healthcare companies, cancer research organisations and healthcare providers such as diagnostics and drug delivery systems.
Speaking on the occasion in Bangalore on 4 September, British deputy high commissioner Ian Felton said: “Oncology is a key area of concern in the UK and in India. This mission is here to firm up relations on some extremely innovative work in the area of oncology. UK-India Joint Innovation in the discovery and delivery of oncology will help to make this element of healthcare accessible and affordable to patients in both countries.”
Dr P. M. Murali, President, ABLE:
ABLE is pleased to be signing an MOU with UKTI for collaborating on a range of opportunities, one of which is happening today. Cancer represents one of the most challenging disease areas that require researchers and clinicians to work together at a global level. We recognize the importance of this delegation and appreciate its purpose.
The MoU will aim at combining UK’s heritage and leadership in the area of healthcare and Life Sciences and India’s emerging and thriving healthcare ecosystem to promote and develop the Life Sciences sector in both countries. ABLE and UKTI also run the Core Initiative Groups in different sector strands in Life Sciences. The partnership will include the participation of UK and Indian experts in Life Sciences in the areas of industry, research and trade. It will further promote UK and India as each other’s partner of choice in Life Sciences such as drug discovery, bioinformatics, regenerative medicine, clinical research, agri-bio, oncology and regulation. This will be done through on-going research and discussion, identifying areas of potential business opportunity that can be addressed by Indian and UK firms.
John Lownds, Acting Head of UK Trade & Investment’s Strategic Trade Life Sciences Team, said:
There is a lot of excitement around the opportunities that are available to both UK and India through this collaboration. The aim of this initiative is to make the latest in oncology and cancer treatment available for all and cement changes between UK and India for lifesciences companies to benefit.
Dr. Balaji Ganeshan, Scientific Director Texrad Ltd, a UK-based novel medical imaging software company, said:
India is a vital market for further research in oncology and imaging technologies. We are looking for collaborations with definite synergies that will make available the right kind of cancer detection and enable accurate diagnosis, minimizing the need for patients to have multiple scans.
The delegation also participated in two roundtable discussions with other industry experts. The focus of the first roundtable was discovery research in cancer, IP and its effects, opportunities for licensing to Indian companies, diagnostics research and new biomarkers. The second roundtable focussed on healthcare aspects such as medical technology companies, access to large hospitals and distributors in India.
UKTI and ABLE will also encourage trade in the sector between the two countries through registration from healthcare companies basis their interests and capabilities. By exploring relevant partnerships and business opportunities, UKTI will enable Indian healthcare players to rapidly expand their businesses globally.
In Chennai, later this week, the delegation will participate in the all-India launch of Healthcare UK and IBHI-Indo-UK oncology summit. The delegates earlier were in Mumbai to participate in a conference on advanced drug delivery system in oncology medicine in India for improving cancer care beyond the metros.
For more information please contact Manjunath KS at the British Deputy High Commission, Bangalore.