Milton Park occupiers help the Government create a vision for the future

By Kirsty Muir

29 September 2021

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Unprecedented hard work has taken place within the life sciences industry during the Covid-19 crisis, with a number of our occupiers playing in instrumental role in pioneering research and solutions in this time.

The Government’s Life Sciences Vision initiative, a policy aiming to outline the plans for growth in the sector over the next decade following the hard work of both the public and private sector. The initiative will see the sector work to solve some of the biggest healthcare problems of our generation, including cancer, dementia and infectious diseases such as Covid-19.

Milton Park, home to 250 companies and over 9,000 people, is a dynamic and vibrant business, science and technology park in Oxfordshire. They spoke to park occupiers Immunocore and Isansys to learn more about their involvement with the Vision as well as their work on the Park more generally.

Isansys has been based at Park since 2010, expanding its office space as the company continued to grow and evolve.

The company specialises in the Patient Status Engine – or PSE for short. This technology helps doctors and nurses monitor vital signs of patients efficiently while improving the independence of patients through wireless Bluetooth technology. Highly important during COVID for patient care, Isansys secured 1.3m of funding to help build networks and awareness of PSE technology throughout other industries.

Keith Erry, CEO at Isansys, said: “It is a great honour to be involved in the Government’s Life Sciences Vision policy and have the hard work of everyone at Isansys recognised. Our vision is for every patient to be monitored, connected and safe. The PSE is helping shift the paradigm from reactive to proactive care while moving patients from high-cost hospital environments to lower cost, safer and less stressful community and home-based settings.

“We are delighted to be a part of this national initiative and for all of the team’s great work yet to come.”

Immunocore joined Milton Park in 2007, adding further biotechnology specialists to the Park.

Immunocore’s work focuses on biological therapies to address unmet patient needs in oncology as well as infectious and autoimmune diseases. By developing T cell receptors, the company creates molecules that have the potential to overcome the limitations of the natural immune system allowing a patient’s own T cells to recognise and kill infected cells.

Annelise Vuidepot, Chief Technology Officer and UK Site Head at Immunocore, said: “We at Immunocore are encouraged by the UK government’s vision for the sector and the vital role it believes it can play in enhancing healthcare globally.

“We share that perspective. As a highly innovative and patient-centred biotechnology company, we have a long-standing commitment to the science ecosystem in the UK and beyond.”

Among other occupiers on site who have supported the Life Sciences Vision include Arctoris, a drug discovery firm using robotics and artificial intelligence to make the process of discovering medicines and taking them to clinical trial more efficient.

To learn more about the Government’s Life Sciences Vision, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/life-sciences-vision