The Role of Governments in the Commercial Emergence of Radical Innovation

Abstract Innovation is the process by which inventions or new ideas can generate economic and social value. Innovation in health sciences offers a vital route to developing novel approaches to unmet medical need and improving quality of life for patients. While the world-class UK science base has been instrumental in generating innovative ideas, the UK government has also played a pivotal strategic role. Through ensuring the appropriate environmental conditions to support the development and commercialisation of innovation, innovative technologies and therapies have been delivered. In addition, this has generated economic growth, increased productivity and promoted high-value employment. By creating a conducive policy environment using procurement intelligently and providing targeted direct support, government can also be highly effective at enticing the private sector to invest in innovation. Governments therefore, have a key role, as new fields develop, in breaking down barriers to enable industry and private investors to risk entering on a new path. The United Kingdom has many innovation assets particularly pertinent to cell and gene therapy; the challenge for successive UK governments over the last decade has been to ensure that there was an overarching vision and a coherent, strategic policy framework. This has enabled the effective support of the emergence and accelerated growth of this innovative industry. It is hoped that such science and technology promoting policies will deliver on the promise of cell and gene therapy to produce safe and effective new therapies with the potential to cure some diseases and disorders. This chapter aims to summarise the current UK innovation strategy.