2025-02-21-莱坊-Life_Sciences_Innovation_Insight_Q4_2024_9页_700kb

Q4 2024 UK Life Sciences & Innovation Insight Report Summary

Sector Performance

• Inbound FDI & VC Funding: The UK ranked first in Europe for inbound FDI in Q4 2024, with VC funding reaching its highest level since the 2021 peak. Total VC funding into UK life sciences companies reached £3.25bn in 2024.
• Geographic Hubs: Oxford, Cambridge, London, and Manchester/Edinburgh were key hubs for funding and activity, responsible for significant portions of VC deals (67% of volume).
• Funding Stages: Late-stage investments dominated (80.5%), with early-stage making up 10.8% and angel/seed funding 8.7%.
• Active Companies: There were 730 active UK life sciences companies in 2024, a slight decrease from previous years.

Investment & Capital Activity

• Major Fundraisings:
  • Apollo Therapeutics raised £205.28m in Cambridge (Biotech).
  • Flo Health raised £155.53m in London (Femtech).
  • Ottimo Pharma raised £110.52m in Sandwich (Biotech).
  • Pheon Therapeutics raised £95.61m in Harpenden (Biotech).
  • Myricx Bio raised £89.76m in London (Biotech).
• Government Initiatives: Autumn Budget allocated £20.4bn for R&D (including £6.1bn for biotech, engineering, medical sciences), extended EIS and VCT schemes to 2035, announced a £250m loan pot for SMEs, and a £40m fund for university spin-outs. A National Wealth Fund and new Office for Investment were also mentioned.
• Strategic Investments: Major companies like Eli Lilly (£279m), Novo Nordisk (£18.5m for Oxford research), and UK-government backed partnerships (e.g., Oxford Nanopore, NHS England) made significant investments. International players like Qatar and Saudi Arabia also invested.

Real Estate Activity

• Leasing: High-value lab and office leases were signed, notably by Novo Nordisk and others in London, Oxford, and Cambridge.
• Space Utilisation: Life sciences activity continued to drive space take-up in the Golden Triangle (Oxford/Cambridge/London).
• Development: Significant lab development pipeline exists, set to add substantial floor space in these key locations by 2027 (e.g., Victoria House Oxford, Oxford Tech Park, Cambridge developments).
• Investment Transactions: Major real estate investments were finalized in the Golden Triangle, including large properties acquired by companies like Danaher and SEGRO.

Development Pipeline

• Significant laboratory space is planned for construction or completion in the Golden Triangle (Oxford, Cambridge, London) over the next few years, boosting capacity in the region.

Key Trends & Outlook

• AI & Data: AI remains crucial for drug discovery and development.
• Weight Loss Drugs: GLP-1 drugs continue to disrupt the market.
• Real World Evidence (RWE): Driving new drug development approaches.
• Personalised/Preventive Medicine: Reshaping traditional pharma business models and real estate needs in R&D.
• Supercomputing & Quantum Tech: Advancements announced, supported by government and university initiatives.
• Real Estate Demand: Continued need for specialized facilities driven by trends like AI and RWE.

Conclusion

The UK life sciences sector demonstrated strong performance in Q4 2024, maintaining its position as an attractive hub for global investment, marked by significant venture funding, strategic acquisitions, government support, and real estate activity in key innovation locations.