TxCell “won’t partner with UK labs”
The CEO of a leading biotech company says it cannot now consider collaborations with UK researchers in case they jeopardise EU funding.
Stephane Boissel, head of French biotech company TxCell, warned about the consequences of a UK exit from the bloc before the 23 June referendum. Speaking in an interview with The Pharma Letter, Boissel mentioned two immediate possible consequences for the biotech industry in Europe. One relates to EU funding programmes such as Horizon 2020, the other relates to companies being unable to receive a rebate on research expenses from the UK.
“The EU is channelling a lot of money for companies and academic labs across Europe to collaborate in these programmes,” Boissel says. “I don’t see how UK-based academic labs or companies could now participate…
“The cost of a clinical trial or manufacturing in the UK will be 30% higher. In Europe I think the impact is likely to be less than in the UK.
“Until we know if we will still be eligible for EU funding in the partner programme with a UK group, it’s impossible. These programmes can last for five years – what if in two years we are asked to prop the UK partner up? What will happen to the whole programme? What will happen to our funding? Quite frankly, I don’t know.”
Finding similar research in other countries could lead to companies such as TxCell choosing to collaborate elsewhere than with UK-based groups.
The UK government, however, has maintained that the nation’s participation in European and international research remains a high priority.
