The UK鈥檚 life sciences sector has work to do in capturing funding to encourage innovation, according to a medtech company CEO.
Accunea鈥檚 lead product is RenoSure, a real-time kidney transplant monitoring device the company claims will offer clinicians 鈥渄ynamic, molecular insights鈥� into organ condition before transplant.
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Speaking to Medical Device Network, Dr Rob Learney, founder and CEO of Accunea, shared that while the company has succeeded in raising 拢750,000 from UK-based angel investors and secured early grant support to validate its technology, it has faced a challenge familiar to many British startups and university spinouts. This stems around bridging the gap between early-stage validation and commercial traction.
Learney said: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e expanding our horizons. The US and Middle East offer more aggressive funding pathways and faster adoption cycles. Europe has shown strong interest鈥攂acked by a 鈧�200k grant and clinical enthusiasm. And China? Remarkably open to medtech innovation, with stakeholders deeply engaged in our mission to reduce inefficiencies and improve outcomes.鈥�
While Learney noted that Accunea is proud of its UK roots, it is now looking to scale abroad.
鈥淣ot because the science isn鈥檛 here; it is,鈥� Learney continued. 鈥淎ccunea is proof of that, with promising data presented at European Society of Transplant in summer being well received by surgeons at the congress.鈥�
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By GlobalData鈥淣ot because the clinical need isn鈥檛 urgent. It is: 70,000 UK patients with end-stage renal failure, yet more donated kidneys go unused each year than the number of patients who die on the waiting list,鈥� he added.
According to Learney, Accunea is scaling abroad 鈥渘ot by choice, but by necessity鈥�. This is because the funding pathways, adoption cycles, and investor appetite for medtech, especially devices, aren鈥檛 keeping pace with the innovation. 鈥淭he US, Middle East, China, and parts of Europe are stepping in where UK investment falters,鈥� Learney stated.
Due to underinvestment, Learney鈥檚 prevailing view is that the UK is missing out on commercial returns, clinical leadership and the chance to be the global launchpad for cutting-edge technologies that save lives.
鈥淚t risks watching promising discoveries from UK talent and UK science being scaled elsewhere,鈥� Learney said. 鈥淚f the UK wants to remain a global leader in life sciences, we must do more than invent: we must invest, adopt, and champion the discoveries.鈥�
