United Kingdom

In a month that saw the average prices of five generic presentations more than double in the UK, WaveData’s figures showed trimethoprim leading the rises with an enormous price increase in February, as several products bounced back from declines in the previous month.

Insight into the knock-on effects on innovation adoption and procurement is keenly awaited by medtechs.

With British Science Week upon us, how are UK life science firms faring, what’s the outlook for the future, and how can the environment be improved to better foster innovation – and make it pay?

Most fees and fee uplifts proposed by the UK MHRA to begin in April 2025 will be implemented on schedule. A general 8.85% increase will be applied to all statutory fees, but the new medical devices registration fee is subject to ongoing review and/or alternative options.

Lawrence Tallon will succeed June Raine as MHRA chief executive on 1 April. UK medtechs will prioritize an early meeting with the man who since 2020 has served as deputy chief executive of Guy’s and St Thomas' NHS Trust.

Formycon has celebrated receiving a UK approval for its Ahzantive biosimilar version of Eylea, setting up a launch from partner Teva – which has already seen success in the UK market with the partners’ Lucentis biosimilar, Ongavia.

Biocon has announced the UK launch of its liraglutide generic rivals to Victoza and Saxenda, hailing a “significant milestone” for the firm’s GLP-1 business, which it expects to be a major growth driver in years to come.

Assimilated EU medtech law used in Great Britain will not be sunsetted on 26 May 2025, as originally provided for. That was the first decision published by the MHRA in the wake of its recent consultation on shaping the regulatory system.

A new collaboration of health technology appraisal bodies in the US, England and Canada could lead to better alignment on HTA methodology in the future.

The UK’s NHS and Sandoz have both told Generics Bulletin that they are looking into reports from a single UK hospital of adverse reactions linked to patients that have switched from Tysabri to Sandoz’s Tyruko biosimilar.