London: The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has announced new partnerships backed by public and private sector investment that will try new ways to tackle cancer and other life-threatening diseases with faster diagnoses and better treatments, deploying innovative technologies. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) unveiled a GBP 118 million fund over the weekend to create five new hubs across the UK to help develop new health technologies.
The UK government’s International Investment Summit next week is also aimed at clinching new partnerships in the field of life sciences for drug development, clinical trials and MedTech production.
“As a cancer survivor, I know how vital an early cancer diagnosis and the latest treatments are. This investment will not only save lives but also secure Britain’s status as a powerhouse for life sciences and medical technology,” said UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
“When we combine the care of the NHS and the genius of our country’s leading scientific minds, we can develop life-changing treatments for patients and help get Britain’s economy booming,” he said.
According to data released by the Department of Health and Social Care, the life sciences industry contributes GBP 108 billion to the UK economy and drove GBP 800 million in foreign direct investment into the UK in 2023, supporting around 300,000 jobs.
As part of the funding plans for the sector, an artificial intelligence (AI) digital pathology data platform will receive GBP 6.4 million from the government.
“The investment in AI pathology represents new hope in helping us to treat and cure a range of diseases. By supporting secure access to this unique dataset, we can help researchers to learn more about various conditions, including cancer, so that they can both spot how to prevent disease and also find the next generation of treatments and cures faster,” said Vin Diwakar, National Director of Transformation at NHS England.
“The NHS is globally unique in holding data for the entire population. This makes the test result information we hold particularly valuable for AI training as we know that it represents the population properly. Like all data in NHS secure data environments, there are strict access rules, meaning the information will remain under the control of the NHS at all times and will only allow secure access to approved researchers who are conducting analysis which improves health and care,” he said.
A GBP 9-million Multinomic Analysis of Immunotherapy Features Evidencing Success and Toxicity (MANIFEST) consortium will be led by the Francis Crick Institute together with the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, as well as academic and industry partners, to support the better targeting of immunotherapy as a treatment for cancer.
UK Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle added: “Cancer is a disease that has brought pain, misery and heartbreak to every family in the country, including my own. But through the government working in partnership with the NHS, researchers, and businesses, we can harness science and innovation to bring the detection and treatment of this horrendous disease firmly into the 21st century, keeping more families together for longer.
“The UK’s scientists, researchers and captains of industry have brilliant ideas that aren’t just going to boost our health – they’ll boost our economy too, helping to build a virtuous circle for more investment in both health and research which will ultimately drive up living standards.”
