Innovate UK
A new vision, strategy and roadmap for non-animal technologies has been published to help those working in this area to take advantage of what could be new multi-billion-pound global markets.
Non-animal technologies for efficacy and safety could replace the use of animals for testing pharmaceuticals, veterinary medicines, agrichemicals, chemicals and consumer products.
The global market for such technologies is expected to be worth billions of pounds, and the UK has the science base and the established large and small businesses to take advantage.
Innovate UK has identified non-animal technologies as one of a series of emerging technologies that could drive future UK economic growth.
Innovate UK, the National Centre for the ReplacementRefinement and Reduction of Animals in Research, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Medical Research Council have worked together to produce a vision, strategy and roadmap for the UK.
The vision for the UK
The publication sets out a vision for a UK non-animal technologies sector that:
- operates at the forefront of science, technology and innovation, driving the development and commercialisation of non-animal technologies through multidisciplinary science and cross-sector collaboration
- supports a strong instrumentation, hardware and supply industry to deliver the commercial success of non-animal technologies and attract inward investment
- delivers improved decision-making tools that result in more rapid discovery and development of medicines,agrichemicals, chemicals and consumer products
The group has made a series of recommendations around the strategic themes of developing skills, fostering collaboration, developing technology, ensuring commercialisation and uptake, involving the regulators, and keeping an eye on international developments.
A roadmap sets out a broad timescale and landscape for progress towards a vision of a thriving non-animal technologies sector in 2030.
Find out more about the roadmap and download the publication.