Memorandum of Understanding with UK
Government Outlines Areas of Cooperation
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and
LONDON, Nov. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagship
Pioneering, the bioplatform innovation company, today marked
the official launch of its UK presence with an event co-hosted in
partnership with the UK Government's Office for Life Sciences,
bringing together top leaders from industry, government, and
academia with a focus on breakthrough innovation. The event marked
Flagship's public announcement of its strategic commitment to the
UK life sciences ecosystem a week after launching Quotient
Therapeutics, its first company located in both the UK and US.
Earlier this year, driven by the country's strong commitment to
scientific research and development, as well as its regulatory
environment that supports a culture of innovation, Flagship began
growing its presence in London and
established an office, its first such office outside the United States. Located in London, the new office will serve as a
regional hub for Flagship's operations in the UK, and into
Europe.
"We are pleased to officially debut the UK effort today, which
has been expanding behind the scenes for over a year," said
Noubar Afeyan, Founder and CEO of
Flagship Pioneering. "With our announced regional hubs in both
London and Singapore, Flagship aims to strengthen its
position as a global leader in the biotech industry and enhance its
ability to engage stakeholders around the world."
Earlier this month, Flagship announced its expansion into the
Asia-Pacific region, with the
establishment of a hub in Singapore and the appointment of André
Andonian as Chair of Asia Pacific
and Senior Advisor.
Flagship Pioneering creates and builds platform companies
designed to generate multiple products that secure a healthier and
more sustainable future. For more than 20 years, Flagship has
originated and fostered more than 100 scientific ventures,
resulting in more than $90 billion
(USD) in aggregate value. The current Flagship ecosystem comprises
40 impactful companies spanning human therapeutics, agriculture,
and nutrition.
Though several Flagship companies, including Invaio and Inari,
have operations outside the US, last week's unveiling of Quotient
Therapeutics marks its first company co-anchored in the UK.
Quotient is co-located in Cambridge,
MA and Cambridge, UK with
research facilities in both cities. Quotient's platform was created
by Flagship scientists in partnership with leading geneticists at
the Wellcome Sanger Institute (UK) and the University of Texas Southwestern (US).
"From Brunel's engineering revolution in the 19th century
through to breakthroughs in genetic medicine in the 21st, British
ideas have changed the world because of a willingness to ask big
questions and do things differently," said Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for
Science, Innovation and Technology of the United Kingdom. "But to be successful, our
innovators and risk-takers need backing. Flagship Pioneering
choosing the UK as their home in Europe is another vote of confidence in our
mission to put real financial firepower behind the UK's
world-leading science. Backing the brightest ideas with serious
capital will help deliver improved healthcare, new medical
treatments, and high-skill jobs."
"The UK offers immense opportunities for collaboration with
academic institutions, research centers, national data resources,
and biotech startups," said Tom Kibasi, Flagship Senior Vice
President and UK Initiative Lead. "We look forward to continuing to
work closely with the UK biotech community and contributing to the
advancement of scientific research and development in the
country."
"The official debut of Flagship UK, and its strong and growing
team in London comes at a time
when the biotech sector is experiencing tremendous growth and
innovation," said Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham who chairs
Flagship's Preemptive Health and Medicine initiative. "I have no
doubt that Flagship will make a tremendous contribution to the
vibrant and innovative biotech ecosystem in the United Kingdom—and
benefit from it, too."
About Flagship Pioneering
Flagship Pioneering is a biotechnology company that invents and
builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple
products that transform human health or sustainability. Since its
launch in 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered more than 100
scientific ventures, resulting in more than $90 billion in aggregate value. To date, Flagship
has deployed over $3.4 billion in
capital toward the founding and growth of its pioneering companies
alongside more than $26 billion of
follow-on investments from other institutions. The current Flagship
ecosystem comprises 40 companies, including Denali
Therapeutics (NASDAQ: DNLI), Foghorn
Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FHTX),
Generate:Biomedicines, Inari, Indigo
Agriculture, Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), Omega
Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OMGA), Sana
Biotechnology (NASDAQ: SANA), Seres
Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MCRB) and Tessera Therapeutics.
Media Inquiries
press@flagshippioneering.com
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