This month PharmaTimes presents Alantra’s annual ranking of the fastest growing pharma companies in the UK, and again there is much cause for celebration. As the analysis shows, a relentless focus on innovation and a determination to solve problems hindering patient outcomes are key traits that have helped those at the top shine in a sector that saw average growth of 33% in 2020. Taking top-spot in the ranking, Exscientia has almost quadrupled its revenue in the last two years, a remarkable achievement and even more so considering the current climate. Turn to page 20 for an in-depth look at the other companies reaching new heights and what’s fuelling their success.

The UK government has unveiled plans for a new round of NHS reforms that aim to pave the way for health and care services to work more closely together, improve care and tackle health inequalities.

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched a public consultation on the potential reclassification of two progestogen-only, oral contraceptive pills containing desogestrel: Lovima 75mcg and Hana 75mcg film-coated tablets.

ViiV Healthcare’s Rukobia (fostemsavir) has received a marketing authorisation in Europe for the treatment of adults with multidrug-resistant HIV-1 infection. The EU has cleared use of the drug in patients who cannot otherwise receive a suppressive antiviral-regimen. Rukobia – a first-in-class HIV attachment inhibitor – is designed to target the first step of the HIV life-cycle. According to ViiV, it shows no cross-resistance to other currently approved antiretroviral classes, offering a new option for patients who are multidrug-resistant and at a higher risk of disease progression or death.

The UK government is streaming funds of £18.5 million into four research projects striving to improve understanding of the longer-term effects of COVID-19, known as long COVID.

Ashfield Health, part of UDG Healthcare, has launched two new global agencies – Mind+Matter and Ashfield MedComms – as part of a major rebrand of its businesses.

Oli Hudson and Steve How, of Wilmington Healthcare, explore how NHS England’s new system-level funding works and the impact on prescribing for high cost drugs

People living in low-income countries (LICs, World Bank classification) are most consistently overlooked by the biggest pharmaceutical companies. This is despite being home to almost 700 million people.

The impact of COVID-19 in 2020 has had significant ramifications as healthcare professionals have had to switch focus to managing and controlling the virus, which has left a huge hole for patients with long-term conditions, such as cancer.

The last decade has brought pharma and the NHS much closer, but while the union is often inspirational, it is also – like any long-term relationship – a bit complicated. Three experts discuss the future of the pharma-NHS dynamic.