The Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UK Israel Tech Hub (UKITH) which will help Israeli health technologies gain access to research and patients in the EU.
The MoU was signed last week by Suzanne Ali-Hassan, head of corporate affairs for the NHSA, and British Ambassador to Israel H.E. David Quarrey on Tuesday at the MIXiii Biomed 2018 conference in Tel Aviv.
The joint working arrangement will support innovative Israeli healthcare companies accessing research and furthering their own technology in the north of England.
The UKITH will allow Israeli companies to access and identify funding and research opportunities in the region, providing access to a population of 15 million, 8 research intensive universities, 8 NHS teaching hospitals, and four academic health science networks across Northern England.
As part of the accord, the UKITH will identify suitable Israeli companies, and then the NHSA will help them access clinical research in the North of England. The NHSA will also support the companies by helping them build a business case for their technology when entering the UK so that they can be validated within NHS.
Quarrey spoke enthusiastically about the deal saying: “The agreement will further enable British researchers and patients to have access to the latest technology from Israel. And we hope even more Israeli medical companies will now look to the UK as a destination for their growth”.
Ali-Hassan also appeared excited about what she described as “innovative and cutting-edge Israeli health technology”, adding that “there are well over 1,400 life science and healthcare companies in Israel whose innovations have the potential to bring great benefits to the North’s hospitals and patient population”.
The UKITH was established in 2011 by the British Embassy in Israel in 2011. They aim to help British companies gain a global competitive edge via Israeli innovation, and similarly provide a global platform for Israeli technology via the UK. Areas of focus include cyber-security, retail, insure-tech, smart cities, health, mobility, education technologies, and technologies from the Arab sector. In the past seven years the Hub has facilitated tens of millions of pounds in partnership deals.
