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Cameron, Netanyahu help launch Teva-UK dementia research fund
Prime Minister David Cameron and Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday toured the Teva pharmaceutical plant as a new £12.5million joint research fund for dementia was announced.
The initiative will see collaboration between Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva and the National Health Service’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure (NOCRI). The global cost of managing dementia is rising sharply and the World Health Organisation predicts that the number of people with dementia will treble within the coming 40 years. As part of the initiative, Teva will conduct extensive clinical stage trials in the UK and research will focus on understanding targets, mechanisms and new approaches to treatment of different causes and types of dementia. The announcement follows the recent G8 Dementia Summit in London, spearheaded by Cameron to highlight the issue.
Commenting on the new fund, Cameron said, “Success in technology, in innovation, in enterprise particularly in our pharmaceutical and healthcare sector are absolutely vital if Britain and Israel are going to be winners in what I call the global race,” adding, “This is an excellent area for Britain and Israel to collaborate on. The meaning of Teva is nature, and it is in the nature of Israelis and Brits to be entrepreneurial.” Netanyahu added, “The future belongs to those who innovate.”
Meanwhile, earlier this week, two Israeli industry delegations visited the UK to build business ties and cooperation. 15 Israeli retail-tech start-ups visited London’s Tech City cluster to meet with potential clients, customers, investors and industry experts. At the same time, they were joined by a delegation of Israeli water-tech industry leaders visiting London to create opportunities for business and collaboration between Israeli innovation and British companies active in the water sector, ahead of the World Water Tech Investment Summit. Both delegations were joint initiatives of the UK Israel Tech Hub at the British Embassy, and the Economic and Trade Mission at the Embassy of Israel in London.