THE Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) has joined with the UKTI to present the UK’s offering in global life sciences at BIO International Convention in San Francisco.

BIO is largest global event for the biotechnology industry and features delegates from across the world and the event will launch the Northern Powerhouse’s international Life Science offering.

Professor Ian Greer, chair of the NHSA, said: “The Northern Health Science Alliance acts as an advocate for the North which is why we are delighted to be representing the UK at BIO in San Francisco.

“It is a clear statement of faith in the abilities of the Northern Powerhouse’s Life Science expertise that we have been selected to showcase the UK’s work.”

The NHSA is attending BIO as a part of a Northern Powerhouse delegation together with Redex Pharma Plc, Manchester Science Parks, BioNow and Aptus Clinical. Nearly 5,000 life sciences companies operate in the UK, 1,000 in the North of England, with a highly skilled workforce of around 180,000 people. The North’s life sciences industry is worth £10.8bn alone.

Dr Hakim Yadi, Chief Executive of the Northern Health Science Alliance will be presenting the UK’s Global Innovation offering in front of an international audience. Other global presentations include delegates from Spain, China and Canada.

He said: “I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to sell the North’s Life Science offering across the globe.

“The North has a great many centres of international excellence and a supportive eco system that allows life science businesses to flourish.

“We’ll be demonstrating why the UK, and the North in particular are leading the way in Life Sciences, supporting businesses and encouraging growth.”

Among the centres featured at the conference are: the Wolfson Centre for Personalised Medicine in Liverpool, the Medical Technologies Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) in Leeds, the Centre for Ageing in Newcastle, the Health E Research Centre in Manchester, the Centre for Process Innovation in Durham, the Health Innovation Campus at Lancaster University, the Medical Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield and the York Centre for Heath Economics.

Neil Murray, CEO of Redx Pharma Plc, the drug development company based at Alderley Park, Cheshire, said: “The UK has a compelling offer to biotech, with one of the strongest and most productive life science sectors in the world and a tax regime that is increasingly favourable for R&D-based businesses.

“The North of England is integral to that offer and produces world class science. The combination of the people and facilities here has already made the region very attractive to international companies. Bio, the largest event of its kind, is the right place for the North to tell its story.

“We are delighted to support and work alongside other companies and stakeholders in showcasing the region to a global audience.”