An Oxford biotech company chief has rallied the industry to support the use of animals in medical research.

Dr Paul Drayson, chief executive of Powderject Pharmaceuticals, was speaking in his capacity as chairman of the BioIndustry Association.

He said the UK biotechnology industry was in a strong position, having strengthened its lead in Europe over the past year.

He said the UK was testing 128 potential medical treatments on human volunteers and eight new medicines had been put on the market.

The nearest European competitor had taken 28 products into clinical development.

In his speech at the annual BIA gala dinner, he called on the Government to support the sector to maintain this lead.

He said: "Success is not measured in the number of new companies but in the number of new medicines you create, and half of all new biotech medicines developed in Europe come from the UK."

He added: "Biotech is one of Britain's success stories -- where our world-class science is matched by our enterprise and ambition."

He also asked0 the industry to demonstrate its support for the use of animals in medical research by signing a letter.

The letter says that "animal research has made a vital contribution to the development of medicines that save many lives every day" and that "the UK has the strictest regulatory regime anywhere in the world to protect animals."

It also points out that "the testing of medicines on animals is a requirement of UK, European and international regulations to ensure the development of safe medicines".

Dr Drayson set up Powderject to commercialise the invention by Oxford engineering professor Brian Bellhouse of a device to administer painless injections.

Over the past two years, the company has transformed itself into Britain's biggest vaccine company by buying up the Evans Vaccine factory on Merseyside.