This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Biotechnology sector growth
14/02/2003
Scotland's biotechnology sector is growing at almost twice the pace of the industry in the rest of Europe, according to information contained in the latest Scottish Enterprise Biotech Scotland: Framework for Action progress report.
Published to coincide with the annual Biotechnology Scotland dinner, attended by Enterprise Minister Iain Gray, the report reveals that in the four years since the framework was launched the number of core biotech business has grown on average at 28% per year compared to 15% in Europe.
The report also shows progress in achieving the main goals of the action plan which was implemented in 1999 by Scottish Enterprise to support the biotechnology sector through a wide range of initiatives.
The strategy aimed within four years to double the number of Scottish biotech companies to 100, double the number of support and supply organisations to 360 and double the number of people employed to 24,000.
The report confirms there are now 25,410 people employed in the Scottish biotech industry which now includes 97 biotech companies and 328 support and supply organisations.
The industry review also shows that despite the tough financial market conditions that prevailed a total of 13 new biotech companies were formed during the past year.
Iain Gray said the biotechnology community has achieved significant progress in recent years, but more must be done to ensure the sector continues to prosper.
He said:
"Scotland's biotech sector is now maturing and thriving as an internationally recognised centre of excellence. Our Science Strategy for Scotland reflects this, highlighting biotechnology as crucial to the successful economic and social future of Scotland.
"Our Life Sciences Intermediary Technology Institute, to be launched later this year, demonstrates the importance we attach to the sector and our determination to enhance it. This ground-breaking venture, which is one of three ITIs to be developed in Scotland, will help grow the biotech industry by helping to focus research in areas with global market opportunities.
"The success of the £33 million Proof of Concept Fund coupled with progress on the Framework for Action and other Scottish Enterprise initiatives are a further investment in the economic prosperity of the industry and the nation.
"The European Biotech Strategy, launched last year, and the European Biotech Network are also leading to broader partnerships and collaboration both here and abroad."
The Framework for Action report commenting on the progress made during the past four years, says Scotland's success in the field of biotechnology is seen around the world as a model of how academia, companies, entrepreneurs and the public sector can work together to create a vibrant biotech community.
It adds that the biotechnology community is diverse yet inclusive, embracing all interests in the life sciences from marine bioscience to medical devices, nanotechnology to bioinformatics. Vision, commitment and a partnership approach have been key to delivering our growth to date and remain essential to our future success.
It predicts that in the coming year the Scottish biotechnology community is expected to exceed its own ambitious growth targets set in 1999 and have more than doubled in size.
A wide range of projects will be pursued in the coming year by Scottish Enterprise under the Framework for Action to sustain the sector's growth.
One project is the development of the Life Sciences Intermediate Technology Institute announced last December.
Based in Dundee it will act as 'shop front' for industry and aims to position Scotland as a world-class centre of excellence in the life sciences field.