West Midlands mayor Richard Parker revealed plans to boost the region’s health and medical technology sector during a visit to a Coventry company developing groundbreaking diagnostics technology.
Parker visited Cytecom, which has created a device that can identify which antibiotic will work against bacterial infections in less than an hour rather than days.
The technology offers a new tool in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, considered one of the top ten biggest health threats to humanity.
Parker launched his West Midlands Growth Plan three weeks ago, which aims to create 100,000 jobs and put an additional £8,600 into the average worker’s pocket.
Parker said: “Advances in technology, many of them developed right here in the West Midlands, are helping our hard-working doctors and nurses save more lives than ever before.”
Under Parker’s Growth Plan, health and medtech is one of five high-growth sectors identified as having potential for creating skilled, high-paid jobs alongside advanced manufacturing, digital and AI technology, and business and financial services.
The region’s health and medtech sector comprises around 700 companies employing more than 14,000 people and generating £6bn annual turnover.
Blood stream infections and sepsis are responsible for 20% of all global deaths, a number predicted to rise due to antimicrobial resistance.
Cytecom is among 114 health and medtech companies supported by the West Midlands Health Technology Innovation Accelerator, which has raised £50m in private co-investment.
Dr Magdalena Karlikowska, chief executive of Cytecom, added: “Antimicrobial resistance already means longer hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and, tragically, more lives lost. In Europe alone, it costs an estimated €11.7bn every year in health expenses and lost productivity.”
The West Midlands Combined Authority will work with the Office for Life Sciences on strengthening inward investment and specialist business support for the health and medtech sector, building on the region’s Investment Zone sites and partnerships between the NHS, academia and industry.
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