For example, around 36% of the research grants it has provided have been for reduction or refi nement projects, and 23% of the CRACK IT funding has been for refi nement work. We believe that funding should focus on the full replacement of animals, since the 3Rs framework is not scientifi cally or ethically robust and enables the continued use of millions of animals each year.
Industry should also be encouraged
We believe that the Government should provide clear incentives to encourage industry to replace animals with human relevant techniques. For example, the R&D tax relief system could be used to incentivise research that uses animal free techniques.
In addition to action from Government, we would like to see stronger and higher-profi le initiatives from within industry focusing on replacing the use of animals. For example, companies could develop their own plans for phasing out animal use, incorporating timetables and milestones and demonstrating the need for change to regulatory guidelines that currently require animal tests
This would follow on from initiatives that industry has taken in other areas of corporate social responsibility, such as setting their own targets for reducing emissions. Industry should also be more transparent about their current use of non-animal methods, since sharing this knowledge would enable more companies to reduce their reliance on animal research.
In your opinion where is/or should funding be coming from to support proposed changes and should new regulations be adopted
There is currently very little information available about the funding of non-animal research, and this is not properly recorded or tracked by Government. Current sources of funding include the NC3Rs (see above) and charities such as Animal Free Research UK, which has provided £10 million in funding since it was founded in 1970, including research into cancer, dementia and diabetes. While charity funding is invaluable, it does not have the capacity to transform
medical research on its own, so Government must provide a major funding boost for non-animal research.
As the Spending Review 2021 has just been launched, we urge the Government to signifi cantly scale up funding to accelerate the replacement of animals with human relevant techniques.
Funding for the outdated practice of animal research should be scaled back and redirected to cutting-edge, human relevant techniques. Backing human relevant science would be of major benefi t to the British economy, since these techniques have huge economic potential. For example, the global 3D cell culture market was estimated to be worth $10.3 billion in 2020, rising to $14.8 billion by 2025.
Investment necessary to retain leadership
The Medicines Discovery Catapult has emphasised the UK’s high level of expertise in the fi eld of complex cell models, but commented that strategic investment would be necessary to retain leadership in this fi eld.
New regulation should certainly be adopted, and this would accelerate the replacement of animals with high-tech, human relevant methods. For example, current regulatory guidelines on the development of medicines generate the expectation that new drugs should be tested on animals. Since these guidelines are international, the UK Government should work collaboratively to secure progressive changes.
However, it is worth emphasising that the vast majority of animal research carried out in Britain is not required by law. In 2020, for example, over half of ‘experimental procedures’ were carried out for basic research.
This underlines the importance of bold policy initiatives that the UK Government is free to undertake, such as developing a concrete plan to replace animals with more sophisticated methods and appointing a Minister for animal free science.
References
Humane Society International ‘MEP’s Favour EU Plan to reduce the use of Animals in Experimental Research’ Published in Labmate September 2021, (News & Views)
International
2. Humane Society International (HIS) UK The silver lining in the Brexit cloud - can the UK lead the way to develop a strategy for replacing animals in scientifi c procedures? Humane Society International UK, (HSI) Senior Scientist Dr Lindsay Marshall. Published in Labmate UK & Ireland February 2021 (Industry Viewpoint).
3.https://
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/07/24/priti-patel-mulls-end- animal-testing-watching-alarming-video/
More information :
lmt.co/PL/VZxR 56239pr@reply-direct.com
Funding Supports Trust’s Phase II R&D Lab Conversion
A further £0.2 million Local Growth Fund will implement the second phase of The Oxford Trust’s conversion of dedicated high spec laboratory facilities at its Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington, Oxford. The funding, secured by the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), will deliver an additional 3,000 ft2 of laboratory and allied space to the Phase 1 expansion of 5,500 ft2 which completed in May totalling close to 9,000 ft2 overall.
The £0.9 million total investment by the Trust, of which £0.3 million has been government funded, is in answer to the unprecedented demand over the last year from science and tech start-ups for lab space in Oxford. This is particularly acute in the science and technology cluster, centred in Headington, which is now globally recognised for delivering lifesaving developments such as the COVID-19 vaccine and other innovative technologies.
The phase II conversion will provide advanced R&D laboratory space and ancillary areas for work at up to containment level 2 with climate control and air handling.
Future occupiers will have access to 500 ft2 of shared facilities for common equipment and specialist microscopy use, including liquid nitrogen storage, autoclave, ultra-pure water, dark room and an on-site lab technician. Some bespoke fi t out options will be available for early clients. The project is due for completion in early 2022.
The funding is expected to further boost employment at the innovation centre as providing further economic growth for the city and local Headington community.
Opened by the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in early July, the initial £0.5 million fi rst phase of the R&D laboratory conversion at the Wood Centre for Innovation, also supported by the Government’s Local Growth Fund,
demand for such space for Oxfordshire’s world-class life sciences sector - is excellent news.
“Over the past year, Oxfordshire’s life sciences sector has demonstrated its global standing - particularly due to its monumental response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that the further Local Growth Fund investment secured for this project will help the sector continue to build from its position of major strength.
Steve Burgess has been completed and is fully assigned to clients.
Steve Burgess, Chief Executive Offi cer of The Oxford Trust said: “It is thanks to OxLEP forsecuring a second tranche of national government funding - alongside the Trust’s signifi cant own investment - that we have been able to accelerate lab provision at our Wood Centre for Innovation that will give early-stage companies the opportunities they need to achieve their potential. It is a real endorsement of what we do to have the fi rst and second phases of our lab development supported by the Local Growth Fund.
“We can now offer a complete range of spaces in our two innovation centres from virtual offi ces and co-working to grade A offi ce space and class II life science laboratory facilities to support science and tech start- ups focused on R&D, such as DJS Antibodies and Samsara Therapeutics, on their journey to success.”
The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (or OxLEP) is one of 38 Local Enterprise Partnerships in England which plays a key role in driving forward economic growth and - by 2021 - it’s expected that central Government will have invested over £12 billion into the UK economy via the Local Growth Fund.
Since its launch in 2011, OxLEP has secured around £660 million worth of central government and European funds for the Oxfordshire economy, supporting the creation of around 65,000 new jobs between 2011 and 2019 - representing over two-thirds of a 2031 target of 85,600 new jobs. In total - OxLEP oversees a £2.2 billion growth programme for Oxfordshire.
Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive of OxLEP, said: “The confi rmation of further funding for such a signifi cant project - which highlights the growing
Phase 1 converted Class II Laboratory at the Wood Centre for Innovation
“As the Local Enterprise Partnership for Oxfordshire, we will continue to play a vitally important role for the county moving forward, securing investment across signifi cant sectors and championing new opportunities that benefi t the county’s businesses and communities.”
After the successful development of phase I, Bulb Laboratories has been contracted to oversee the development of the phase II laboratory space at the Wood Centre for Innovation. Based in Reading and specialists in laboratory conversion, Bulb is to provide expert consultancy services, including design and project management.
The Trust’s innovation centres - the Wood Centre for Innovation and the Oxford Centre for Innovation in the city centre - are managed by Oxford Innovation, a spin-out from The Oxford Trust and the UK’s leading operator of innovation centres.
More information online:
ilmt.co/PL/WQBP 56502pr@reply-direct.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
