Centre to Serve as European Hub to Accelerate
Innovation across the Healthcare Landscape
London (13 March 2013) – Johnson & Johnson today announced the opening
of the Johnson & Johnson Innovation centre in London, one of four regional
hubs being established this year in the world's leading innovation
hotspots. A part of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, the goal of the
London innovation centre is to accelerate the best early stage science in the world
and advance the development of new healthcare solutions.
"Britain has a worldwide reputation for excellence in innovation - the
investment by Johnson & Johnson here demonstrates this and I am delighted
to welcome this new centre to the UK," says UK Secretary of State for
Health Jeremy Hunt, who will be speaking at the Innovation Expo 2013 on
Wednesday.
Johnson & Johnson Chief Scientific Officer and Worldwide Chairman,
Pharmaceuticals, Paul Stoffels, MD, says, "The London Innovation Centre is
part of Johnson & Johnson's broader innovation strategy to advance human
health through collaboration with the world's leading scientists and
entrepreneurs. We are looking forward to collaborating within the UK,
home to one of the world's thriving life sciences ecosystems." Dr.
Stoffels will address the Expo on Wednesday afternoon.
The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies has been investing in the
United Kingdom since 1927 and supports directly or indirectly more than 24,000
jobs. The London Innovation Centre will be one of more than a dozen
facilities of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in the country.
Dr. Stoffels underscores Johnson & Johnson's shared commitment with the
NHS to address some of today's most complex and devastating diseases such as
Alzheimer's, dementia and Type 2 diabetes; and emphasizes the need for
commitment from the healthcare community to support emerging companies and
entrepreneurs in the UK who are bringing forward new science and
technology. "Science and technology hold unprecedented opportunities
to transform healthcare, and by investing and collaborating in groundbreaking
science we can deliver transformational innovations in healthcare to people
across the world."
In addition to the new Johnson & Johnson Innovation centre in London,
similar facilities are planned in Boston, San Francisco and, later this year,
in Shanghai. Each city was selected for its robust life sciences community.
The UK life sciences sector accounts for over 165,000 jobs and over £50
billion in business. It is home to a uniquely powerful combination of
world-leading universities and scientific experts; established R&D,
manufacturing and supply chain; globally renowned research charities and the
NHS. This combination of outstanding features makes London an ideal
innovation hub in Europe.
The Johnson & Johnson Innovation centre in London will house science
and technology experts with broad expertise in developing new solutions and
products. The centre will have local deal-making capabilities to flexibly
adapt deal structures to match early-stage opportunities. This will enable
scientists, entrepreneurs and emerging companies to deliver innovation via
collaboration with experts who can drive partnerships across the
pharmaceutical, medical device & diagnostics and consumer healthcare
companies of Johnson & Johnson.
"Our on-the-ground proximity to regional scientists and entrepreneurs
will allow us to build the strong personal relationships that underlie the most
successful collaborations and investment deals," remarked Patrick
Verheyen, the head of the Johnson & Johnson Innovation centre in
London. "At Johnson & Johnson Innovation, we are committed
to ensuring healthcare remains not only a significant source of economic
prosperity in the UK, but also a driving force for improving the health and
happiness of people worldwide."
Johnson & Johnson Innovation centre in London is located at 1 Chapel
Place, London, W1G OBJ. For more information on the new innovation centres
please contact jnjinnovation@its.jnj.com.
About
J&J Innovation
The London innovation centre is part of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, a division of Johnson & Johnson Finance Corporation, Ltd. Johnson & Johnson Innovation focuses on accelerating early innovation and enhancing opportunities for collaboration and investment across Johnson & Johnson's global healthcare businesses. Johnson & Johnson Innovation provides scientists, entrepreneurs and emerging companies focused on early-stage opportunities a one-stop access to science and technology experts who can facilitate collaborations across the pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics and consumer companies of Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson Innovation includes local deal-making capabilities with the flexibility to adapt deal structures to match early-stage opportunities and establish novel collaborations that speed development of those innovations to solve unmet needs in patients. More information can be found here: www.jnjinnovation.com.