Guidance

Diabetes: develop treatments in the UK

Published 15 October 2018

© Crown copyright 2018

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/diabetes-develop-treatments-in-the-uk/diabetes-develop-treatments-in-the-uk

The UK makes a major contribution to global research, management and improvements in the quality of life of people with diabetes.

In the UK:

  • 1 in 16 people has diabetes amounting to over 4 million people living with the disease
  • treating diabetes costs the National Health Service (NHS) £9 billion per year

UK innovation in diabetes care

The UK is a pioneering force in diabetes.

Its long history of innovation includes:

  • determining that the sweet taste in urine of people with diabetes was due to excess sugar
  • establishing the first significant dietary approach to diabetes treatment
  • the first pancreatic tissue graft

More recent developments have led to:

  • advances in artificial pancreases
  • genetic pre-screening
  • vaccine therapies
  • non-invasive blood-glucose monitoring

As well as the long history of innovation the UK’s diabetes sector has:

  • a thriving care sector
  • an outstanding supply chain
  • an outstanding national clinical research infrastructure
  • specialist research centres

Diabetes care and product development in the UK

Diabetes care involves diverse medical technologies, with products to educate, diagnose and treat the condition.

There are about 45 UK medical device companies with a related supply chain infrastructure, servicing a global device market valued at £14 billion.

New high-tech start-up companies, supported by university and clinical research centres, are developing treatments involving:

  • artificial pancreases
  • beta cell / islet replacement
  • immunotherapy
  • non-invasive glucose monitoring
  • genetic pre-screening

UK diabetes supply chain support

The UK’s comprehensive supply chain supports all aspects of the diabetes sector.

This includes:

  • supply of raw and intermediary materials
  • supply of assay kits and digital health solutions
  • drug development
  • analyte analysis
  • supply of innovative delivery systems

UK diabetes research infrastructure

The UK has the most integrated clinical research infrastructure in the world with specialist NHS clinical research networks coordinating the fast-tracking of clinical trials.

Each of the UK regions has research networks that specialise in diabetes, working closely with world leading charities such as Diabetes UK and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

This infrastructure enhances access to NHS sites and patient populations, and can assist businesses with study set-up and the research and development approvals process.

In 2015 to 2016 research included:

  • 560 active NHS clinical trials covering both type 1 and type 2 diabetes
  • 27,534 UK participants recruited into diabetes studies

Specialist diabetes research centres in the UK

The UK is a major international research hub for diabetes. The UK has the most established islet transplantation programme in Europe and one of the world’s most active integrated beta-cell replacement programmes.

The NHS Clinical Research Networks, charities, universities and UK companies are all at the forefront of major innovations in diabetes treatment, diagnosis and prevention.

Research studies include:

  • artificial pancreas development
  • vaccines against type 1 diabetes
  • the development of novel non-invasive glucose monitoring systems
  • a recently industrially funded £115 million research centre for type 2 diabetes

The NHS continues to develop its genomic-medicine service. A UK network of genetic-diabetes nurses has a strong focus on diabetes testing and the management and education of healthcare professionals. The Clinical Practice Research Datalink is now using primary care data in clinical trials, including a real world diabetes study comparing a new therapy to standard care. (Source: NHS England)

Contact the Life Sciences Organisation (LSO)

LSO is made up of a mixed team of civil servants and private sector specialists based in the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT).

It provides support for:

  • UK life sciences companies doing business overseas
  • foreign life sciences companies wanting to invest in the UK

Contact LSO for more information on commercial opportunities in the UK’s life sciences sector.

You can find out more about investing in the UK at great.gov.uk.

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