Pharma welcomes EU push to restore life sciences sector

A European pharma trade organisation has said that a new strategy launched by the EU to bolster the region's standing in life sciences is a "very welcome step forward," just weeks after it delivered a warning that there could be an exodus of top companies to the US without reform.

The new Life Sciences Strategy from the European Commission aims to make the EU the most attractive place in the world for life sciences by 2030 and is backed by almost €10 billion ($11.8 billion) in funding.

The wide-ranging document (PDF) sets out three overarching themes for the new strategy; namely, improving the ecosystem for R&D and – in a nod to the concerns of the pharma industry – ensuring that new medicines reach the market quickly and can be accessed promptly by patients.

Nathalie Moll, director general of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries & Associations (EFPIA), said the strategy shows that the EU recognises "the need to reverse declining trends and actively seek new investments" in a life sciences sector that has been "on the ropes for two decades."

The plan includes an EU investment plan to help fund multi-country clinical trials and strengthen European clinical research infrastructures, a pilot for phased funding of collaborative research, including the creation of a network of centres specialising in advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) like cell and gene therapies, and a modernisation of the medical devices regulations.

There is also a promise to speed up the enactment of the EU Biotech Act to create a more "innovation-friendly" operating environment for companies, the launch of a matchmaking service to link start-ups with potential industrial partners and investors, and €300 million in cash for EU procurement in the areas such as "climate change adaptation, next-generation vaccines, and affordable cancer solutions."

In April, an EFPIA survey of its member companies was presented to Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, which warned that, without major reforms, much of the almost €165 billion capital investment and R&D expenditures currently planned for the 27 EU member states in the next five years would be at risk of being diverted to the US.

"The strategy delivers some good news at a time when it is most needed," said Moll. "For Europe to truly lead, it needs to invest in medicines, attract investment, accelerate turning that investment into new treatments and economic growth, as well as ensuring that patients across the EU get access to them at the same pace as other regions."

EFPIA is looking for the rapid creation of a functional single market for clinical trials, refinement of the Biotech Act to strengthen European competitiveness and reinforce internationally competitive intellectual property (IP) protection rules, and ways to unlock public and private investment to catch up with other areas of the world, like the US.

"Science changes lives, but only if we back the people behind it," commented Ekaterina Zaharieva, EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation.

"With this strategy, Europe is doing just that – funding life sciences from lab to market, supporting start-ups, accelerating market access, and building trust."