The UK has shown interest to further attract the Indian life-sciences sector to maximise its high-end innovation and research. The ongoing visit of the British Prime Minister Theresa May to India and specifically to Bengaluru has been to highlight that UK’s innovation ecosystem can provide ample learning opportunities for Indian pharma and biotech companies. That may help to build up new competencies through collaborative research to pursue projects to address new drug development and design novel medical devices.

Specifically from Karnataka, pharma-biotech companies which have set operations in the UK include Biocon Biologics Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Biocon, Brown & Burke a Micro Labs subsidiary and Strides-Shasun.
 
In mid- September, Med-tech start-up Axio Biosolutions, which has designed, developed and commercialized an emergency haemostat for trauma care expanded its operations to UK.

According to Leo Mavely, founder and MD, Axio Biosolutions, India & UK have been strategic partners from a long time. British PM May's visit to India promises to foster this partnership and carry forward long cherished bilateral relationship.
 
“In context of India's growth and stand in the global market, I believe, the current visit will pave way to increase job opportunities and ease of doing business. For Axio Biosolutions, UK is a significant market. There is a growing demand for advanced wound care products in UK. The recent launch of our product Axiostat Haemostatic Dressing in UK could possibly help us in evaluating it as a hub for our entry in Europe,” added Mavely.
 
The UK Healthcare and Life sciences trade delegation was in Bengaluru to provide insights on the opportunities of collaboration. At a panel deliberation on the ‘Next Generation Healthcare’ Prof. Richard Barker OBE, chairman, Precision Medicine Catapult said that science, technology and informatics are driving the change. “Use of technology will help to leap frog to ensure affordable access to healthcare. We are looking to partner with India to push the boundaries of healthcare together”, he added.
 
Prof. Graham Ball, Nottingham University said, “Opportunities in the area of precision medicine are significant. But there is a huge challenge to handle the molecular profile data base which is complex to analyse and share. This is difficult because biology is complex. But there are algorithms and biomarkers to reduce the time to diagnose and bring down cost of treatment.”

Digitisation of healthcare will attract bright talent. India has made in-roads in this space. The future of medicine is to ensure people are fit and patients should take ownership of their healthcare records, noted Robert Shaw, chief operating officer, NHS Digital.
 
Doris-Ann Williams MBE, chief executive BVIDA, pointed out that companion diagnostics are an indispensable part of personalised medicine helping doctors decide which treatments to prescribe patients and which dosage to administer.
 
Representing India was Sanjay Murudeshwar, managing director, AstraZeneca Pharma India who said that our government should mandate electronic data systems, issue norms to standardise treatment protocols which would lead to tailor made solutions.
 
Dr. B. S. Ajai Kumar, chairman & CEO, Healthcare Global Enterprises Limited said that use of technology in healthcare is a paradigm shift in treatment protocols. Using tele-medicine, tele radiology and tele-pathology, Indian doctors have broken the distance barrier providing treatment to patients in remote areas in the country. Use of genomics has helped to decrease unwanted medications too.