Guidance

Genomics and personalised medicine: partner with the UK to develop new treatments, diagnostics, and care solutions

Published 2 July 2019

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The UK is one of the best locations in the world to develop and commercialise genomics technologies and personalised medicines.

The UK’s track record of discovery in genomics is world renowned, and includes:

  • the discovery of the structure of DNA
  • the innovation of the Solexa sequencing platform (now Illumina’s core technology)
  • its role in the Human Genome Project
  • its leadership in setting up and leading the 100,000 genomes project

The UK is at the forefront of genomics research. It is the first nation in the world to:

  • apply whole genome sequencing at scale in direct healthcare
  • provide access to high quality de-identified clinically linked genomic data for research

Genomics England was created to make the UK the first country to introduce genomics technology into its mainstream health system. It has led the global race for better tests, better drugs and more personalised care, and already reached its target of sequencing 100,000 genomes.

Over the next 5 years, Genomics England will continue to play a crucial role in the UK’s plan to sequence 5 million genomes, including at least 1 million whole genomes from the National Health Service (NHS) and UK Biobank.

Advantages of the UK as a partner to develop genomics technologies

The UK offers:

  • leading-edge research and talent, available at centres of excellence such as the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Wellcome Genome Campus
  • established infrastructure for innovation and clinical trials
  • support for technology development and informatics platforms
  • world-renowned regulatory expertise and standards
  • specialised infrastructure to support the introduction of genomic medicine into the NHS
  • a culture of collaboration
  • a launch pad to global markets

Examples of specific genomics commitments include:

  • an £85 million investment in whole genome sequencing of UK Biobank
  • the extension of the cancer genome pathway from the 100,000 genomes project
  • delivering the results of the 100,000 genomes project to patients by the end of 2019
  • an Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund programme ‘Data to early diagnostics and precision medicine’ which will invest up to £210 million in health data and technology to diagnose life-changing diseases at the earliest possible stage

UK resources for research, technology development and innovation in genomics

Resources include:

  • Genomics England, currently the largest national sequencing project of its kind in the world, which collaborates with other members towards the development of new therapies and diagnostics for precision treatments
  • Genomics England’s Discovery Forum which allows companies to access its world-leading, real world and genomic linked dataset
  • the Medicines Discovery Catapult which is positioned to exploit the opportunities of personalised medicine and serve as a centre for all drug-based approaches
  • UK Biobank, a research and discovery resource, which holds and provides access to samples and data relating to 500,000 individuals
  • the National Biosample Centre which provides a high-quality, high-capacity service for biomedical researchers engaged in studies that include the collection, processing, storage and analysis of biological samples from volunteers and patients
  • the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult which has a proven commitment from NHS England to support the introduction of cell and gene therapies into the NHS, and includes:

UK infrastructure for genomics clinical research

The UK’s genomics infrastructure includes:

  • Genomics England Clinical Interpretation Partnership where researchers can access a database linking whole genome data with real world data to derive new insights, improve clinical care and stratify patients
  • a clinical trial and test-bed platform available in the NHS, the world’s largest integrated healthcare system which treats over 60 million people
  • more than £1 billion of annual investment in a national platform for clinical research
  • the ability to recruit deeply phenotyped and genotyped patients to clinical studies, through Genomics England
  • a clinical study support service for sponsors and contract research organisations which helps researchers plan, set up and deliver, research to time and target in the NHS
  • the Clinical Practice Research Datalink’s (CPRD) data set providing data on 22 million individuals, used by the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies and the US Food and Drug Administration
  • a large and powerful charitable support base, brought together under the umbrella of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), which contributes £1.6 billion in funding, and facilitates access to patients and patient cohorts

Genomics and personalised medicines regulation in the UK

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) Innovation Office offers a single point of access to regulatory information, advice and guidance for all innovative medicines, medical devices or novel manufacturing processes.

Genomics technology and personalised medicines product development in the UK and the role of the NHS

The UK offers low risk and efficient routes to market.

The Genomic Medicine Service in the NHS, the first of its kind in the world, is designed to realise the potential benefits of genomics in a mainstream healthcare system.

NHS has specialist centres and resources to deliver genomic medicine through the:

Other routes through the UK’s devolved administrations include:

Contact 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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