Saudi and UK Ministers visit The Oxford Science Park

14 July 2025

The Oxford Science Park welcomed Lord Vallance, UK Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, alongside His Excellency Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, for a visit last Friday aimed at fostering future scientific collaboration and investment between the UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

During their visit, the ministers engaged with senior executives from some of the Park’s leading life science companies, as well as key stakeholders from across the Oxford innovation community.

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The visit included tours of two cutting-edge biotech companies headquartered at the Park:

Sitryx, a pioneering immunometabolism company developing novel therapies for inflammatory diseases. The delegation learned about the company’s promising pipeline, including innovative treatments targeting skin conditions such as eczema.
Evox Therapeutics, a biotech company leveraging a next-generation non-viral gene editing modality to develop transformative treatments for genetically driven neurodegenerative diseases.

Photo credit: Crown Copyright

The visit provided the Saudi delegation with first-hand insights into the depth and diversity of science-led innovation taking place in Oxford, while also offering an opportunity to explore avenues for future partnership, collaboration, and inward investment into the UK from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Photo credit: Crown Copyright

Yong Shen, Director of The Oxford Science Park and Bursar at Magdalen College, Oxford, said: "It was an honour to host Lord Vallance and His Excellency Abdullah Alswaha for this important visit. The Oxford Science Park is very proud to be a place for global scientific exchange, and we are deeply committed to fostering international collaboration that drives meaningful scientific and societal impact."

The visit highlights Oxford’s global reputation as a centre of scientific excellence and innovation, and further establishes The Oxford Science Park as a key destination for world-class research, emerging technologies, and international collaboration.

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