London is Europe’s powerhouse for life sciences and front runner to become the new world capital of the sector says Mayor

London is Europe’s powerhouse for life sciences and front runner to become the new world capital of the sector says Mayor

• Sadiq to open London Life Sciences Week, which brings together over 1,300 industry leaders, innovators, and investors and over 2,400 biotech companies to forge partnerships across the capital. 
• London's life sciences sector has already attracted £1.6 billion in venture capital investment this year, more than Paris, Stockholm and Berlin combined.
• London Growth Plan sets out vision to establish the capital as a life sciences powerhouse while new Inclusive Talent Strategy will invest £147 million in new skills funding.
• Mayor says: Whilst elsewhere in the world, we are seeing the rejection of truth, outright hostility towards science, and the gutting of vital research funding, here in London we remain unwavering in our values. We are, and will always be, unashamedly pro-science, pro-innovation, and pro-progress. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, will showcase London as Europe’s powerhouse for life sciences and position the city as the front runner to become the new world capital of the sector as he delivers a keynote speech to open the biggest London Life Sciences Week to date.

London Life Sciences Week takes place in the capital this week (16-21 November) and is set to bring together over 1,300 industry leaders, innovators, and investors and over 2,400 biotech companies to forge valuable partnerships and shape the future of life sciences. [1] This is absolutely crucial for advancements in fields such as medicine and vaccine development, AI assisted drug discovery, gene therapy and diagnostics.

London is home to over 2,700 life sciences companies, three of the world’s top 15 universities for health and clinical science, and 19 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies - forming an ecosystem of innovation that drives commercial growth. The capital has cemented its position as Europe’s powerhouse for life sciences, attracting over £1.6 billion in venture capital investment so far this year. This is nearly double the amount raised in 2024 and more than Paris, Stockholm and Berlin combined. [2]

London is continuing to build industrial facilities, and unlocking new workspaces, such as at Euston, where the joint venture between Lendlease and the Crown Estate will help catalyse growth in one of Europe’s leading life sciences and innovation districts. [3]

In his keynote address in central London to global leaders in the life sciences sector, the Mayor is expected to say:

On London being the front runner to become the new world capital for life sciences:

I truly believe that London is the best city in the world to live, study, work and launch a business.

We boast the financial centre of New York, the enterprise and imagination of Silicon Valley, and the policymakers of Washington – all within a 15-minute tube ride.  

We are the most globally connected place on Earth. Regularly voted the world’s favourite city and home to first-rate universities and research institutes, that attract brilliant minds from around the world, and are at the cutting-edge of discovery and invention.

Whilst elsewhere in the world, we are seeing the rejection of truth, outright hostility towards science, and the gutting of vital research funding, here in London we remain unwavering in our values. We are, and will always be, unashamedly pro-science, pro-innovation, and pro-progress. 

New data shows that this year, London's life sciences sector has already attracted £1.6 billion in venture capital investment; more than Paris, Stockholm and Berlin combined.

London is Europe’s powerhouse for life sciences and now the front runner to become the new world capital in the sector.

On the London Growth Plan supporting the capital’s ambition as a life sciences superpower:

Earlier this year, I launched the London Growth Plan, setting out our vision to accelerate growth and establish our city’s status as a life sciences superpower.  

As part of this plan, we’re supporting more innovation clusters, bringing together researchers, investors, businesses and hospitals to transform ideas into commercially viable products and services.

We’re boosting investment into our most innovative start-ups, to support them to scale. And we’re rapidly upskilling our workforce – making sure that Londoners have the skills employers need.

This includes £147 million in new skills funding, as part of our Inclusive Talent Strategy.

Because not only do we want to help firms find the right talent, but we’re also passionate about ensuring that all Londoners – regardless of their background – stand to benefit from the industries shaping our future. 

On the leading role London has played in the enhancement of life sciences globally:

London has long been a leading light in the life sciences. From the discovery of penicillin, to uncovering the cause of cholera, our city has been a beacon for research, learning and progress.  

Just a few months ago, researchers at UCL led a global clinical trial, testing the use of gene therapy in patients with Huntington’s disease. 

Patients like 30-year-old Jack May-Davis, who found out he carried the Huntington gene whilst witnessing the heartbreaking decline and death of his father from the disease in 2016.

Jack knew he was destined to share the same fate and volunteered to take part in the trial, not for his own sake, but for the sake of future generations.  

When the results unexpectedly showed that the treatment slowed the progression of Huntington's by 75%, he said he was lost for words. 

Thanks to the incredible talent, hard work and investment of our scientific community, Jack, and thousands of others like him, now have hope.

And that’s what this week is all about. And that's why we're determined to build on our reputation and make London a life sciences superpower. Because this industry has the ability not just to change lives, but to engineer a brighter future. 

On the growing importance of life sciences in London:

In the coming decades, we are set to face some enormous challenges. From an aging population to the rising tide of antimicrobial resistance. That’s why the work the life science community does, has never felt more important. The new technologies we have at our disposal are, of course, a source of great hope.

Dr. Angela Kukula, CEO of MedCity at London & Partners, co-organisers of London Life Sciences Week, said: “London has a rich history of innovation. And that spirit is alive at London Life Sciences Week. I’m especially looking forward to the ‘Bench to Business London Showcase’ - a chance to hear directly from some of the most innovative companies, including several featured on MedCity’s ‘London Companies to Watch 2025’ list, turning breakthroughs in the lab into solutions for patients. If you want to hear how London companies are shaping the future of life science, this is the place to be.”

Jane Wall, Managing Director at the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA), co-organisers of London Life Sciences Week, said: “London Life Sciences Week provides an exceptional platform for international investors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to connect, collaborate and forge global partnerships. Alongside the Jefferies Healthcare Conference, the International Investor Summit at Victoria House, and more than 70 events taking place across the week, it underscores the UK’s position as a world-leading destination for life sciences investment.”

Christina Coughlin, CEO of Avacta Therapeutics, a UK-based biotech company focused on making cancer treatment safer and more effective, said: “London has provided an outstanding base for Avacta to advance our mission to redefine cancer treatment through our proprietary pre|CISION® platform. Developing our peptide drug conjugate (PDC) technology in White City has allowed us to harness the city’s world-class scientific talent, translational research infrastructure, and access to leading oncology expertise.

“The pre|CISION® platform enables us to repurpose potent oncology drugs as PDC payloads that remain inactive in the bloodstream and healthy tissue, but are precisely activated within the tumor. This approach has the potential to significantly reduce toxicity and side effects for patients, and London’s vibrant life sciences ecosystem has been instrumental in accelerating this innovation from concept to the clinic.”