UK Govt to Launch Real-Time Pandemic Surveillance System with Oxford Nanopore & NHS

This initiative is a collaboration between the government, Genomics England, UK Biobank, NHS England, and Oxford Nanopore.

The UK government has unveiled plans to create the world’s first real-time surveillance system to monitor future pandemics, improve disease prevention, and safeguard public health.

This initiative, a collaboration between the government, Genomics England, UK Biobank, NHS England, and Oxford Nanopore, marks a transformative step in health preparedness by leveraging cutting-edge genomic technology.

As part of the partnership, Oxford Nanopore, a leading UK-based life sciences company, will deploy its advanced long-read sequencing technology. This technology can analyze genes and pathogens in a single read without breaking DNA or RNA strands into smaller fragments.

This innovation will accelerate diagnosis and response times for infectious diseases, as well as certain types of cancer and rare conditions.

The technology is a key component in the expansion of NHS England’s Respiratory Metagenomics program, led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

Through this program, samples from patients with severe respiratory infections will be quickly analyzed, allowing treatments to be matched to patients within six hours.

This rapid response mechanism will enable real-time monitoring of bacterial and viral outbreaks across the UK and help detect antimicrobial resistance.

Scaling NHS Genomic Capabilities

Following a successful pilot at St Thomas’ Hospital, the technology will be rolled out from an initial 10 NHS sites to as many as 30. This deployment aims to close the current gap between the emergence of new pathogens in the UK and the activation of containment and treatment strategies.

Further, the program’s broader implementation will address delays in identifying and managing infectious diseases, ultimately benefiting communities nationwide.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting emphasized the importance of preparation, stating, "If we fail to prepare, we should prepare to fail. Our NHS was already on its knees when the pandemic struck, and it was hit harder than any other comparable healthcare system. This historic partnership with Oxford Nanopore will ensure our scientists have the latest information on emerging threats at their fingertips."

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle noted that the partnership draws upon the UK’s life sciences expertise, demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and the nation’s effective Covid-19 surveillance system.

He also highlighted that this collaboration would allow scientists and decision-makers to stay ahead of emerging diseases, enhancing the country’s pandemic readiness.

Strengthening the UK’s Position in Genomic Medicine

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at the UK Health Security Agency, stressed the critical role of early detection in addressing emerging pathogens.

She noted that the UK’s robust genomic surveillance infrastructure would be further strengthened through this program, enhancing the NHS’s capacity to detect severe respiratory infections and develop rapid diagnostics for new pathogens.

“This will enable effective diagnostics and improve our pandemic preparedness as part of the 100-day mission,” she added.

The partnership also brings significant advancements for patients by integrating Oxford Nanopore’s technology with the resources of UK Biobank and Genomics England, a collaboration that will yield valuable insights into genetic diseases and enable quicker detection and response to infections.

Enhancing the NHS’s Transition to Digital Health

The collaboration aligns with the UK’s 10-Year Health Plan, which envisions a shift for the NHS from an analog system to a digitally focused one, with greater emphasis on prevention over treatment.

Alongside benefits to public health, the expansion of Oxford Nanopore’s genomic capabilities will spur economic growth, further establishing the UK as a leader in life sciences and genomic research.

Oxford Nanopore CEO Gordon Sanghera said, “By working alongside our partners on improved patient outcomes, we believe we can deploy our DNA sequencing technology in impactful ways for the people of the UK.”

Professor Ian Abbs, Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, reflected on the impact of the Respiratory Metagenomics program, which has been in development for over four years.

“We’ve seen clear benefits to our patients. Now, we can ensure that more hospitals and patients benefit from faster and more accurate treatment for severe respiratory conditions thanks to new genomic technology,” he stated.

Driving Economic Growth Through Innovation

The government’s recent budget announcement supports the UK life sciences sector with a £40 million, five-year Proof of Concept Fund to boost university spinouts.

This investment builds on the success of Oxford Nanopore, a prominent spinout from Oxford University.

Founded in 2005, the company has grown into one of the UK’s most successful life sciences ventures, illustrating the potential for university research to drive economic growth.

Genomics England and Oxford Nanopore will work closely to deepen understanding of genetic data, facilitating breakthroughs in identifying treatable genomic mutations. UK Biobank will continue to provide insights from their extensive data, contributing to patient care improvements.

As part of the program, data from Oxford Nanopore’s technology will feed directly into the UK Health Security Agency, allowing for faster detection and response to infectious diseases.

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