CRO Provides Drug Discovery Assays to Medicines Catapult


Nine Female Led Businesses Receive Innovation Support


Backing for 9 of the UK’s most innovative female-led businesses, was announced by Innovate UK on 8th March, - International Women’s Day - as part of its campaign to help women achieve their business ambitions.


The 9 entrepreneurs will receive £50,000 business funding and a package of bespoke support to help grow their business and boost the UK economy. To further inspire future innovators and celebrate the winners’ achievements, Innovate UK has partnered with schools across the UK to install commemorative purple plaques.


A UK-based human tissue research company has announced a strategic partnership with Medicines Discovery Catapult. Reprocell Europe Ltd, which has joined the Catapult’s Virtual R&D platform, aims to overcome the logistical and ethical challenges surrounding the use of human tissue in pre-clinical drug development by providing contract laboratory services in predictive human fresh tissue assays. As a GLP-accredited CRO, it can use these human ex-vivo pharmacology models as a way to bridge the gap between in-vivo data and clinical trials. The predictive human data generated helps de-risk projects and adds commercial value through early indications of drug safety, effi cacy and absorption characteristics, informing early proof-of-concept.


Accredited as a Research Tissue Bank, the company has established an extensive network of tissue collaborators, in both the UK and USA.


Dr David Bunton, CEO, Reprocell Europe, said: “We are excited to be working closely with the Medicines Discovery Catapult and to be part of a select group of companies developing innovative approaches to drug discovery. We hope that our combined services will accelerate drug development to the benefi t of many UK biotechs.”


Dr Karen Bingham, COO, added: “Ethically-sourced human tissue samples are such an important resource for the prediction of effi cacy and safety of novel drug compounds and are becoming increasingly important in the area of precision medicine. It’s crucial that the NHS, industry and academia work together through collaborations such as Medicines Discovery Catapult in order to maximise use of this precious resource.”


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Genotyping Partnership to run for Duration of BES Scheme


The Scottish Government has formally extended its partnership with Neogen Corporation in Ayr, Scotland, to perform genomics testing as part of the government’s programme to improve the country’s beef herd. Initiated in 2016, the partnership will continue through September 2021.


The Beef Effi ciency Scheme (BES), funded as part of the Scottish Rural Development programme is a climate change scheme that aims to improve the effi ciency, sustainability and quality of the Scottish beef herd. The fi ve-year project is a collaboration between the Scottish Government and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). Neogen is responsible for the project’s animal genotyping and supply of sampling kits.


“We are obviously very gratifi ed to have earned the partnership extension and to be continuing as a part of this important project,” said Dr Gary Evans, Neogen’s European Genomics business development manager. “The genotyping that we have performed is being used by SRUC to develop predictions for improved genetic selection in respect of growth rates, feed conversion, maternal behaviour, nutrition practice and disease resistance for commercial beef farmers.”


Scottish beef has long been recognised for its high quality and beef production is at the heart of Scottish agriculture. The country’s climate, soil type and overall topography create ideal conditions for beef cattle to thrive.


Neogen’s fl agship genomics laboratory in Lincoln, Nebraska, is said to be the largest animal genomics laboratory in the world. In addition to operations in the US and Scotland, Neogen also operates genomics laboratories in Brazil, Australia and Canada.


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Scottish companies raised a record £85 million of equity investment during the past year, including a surge in international venture capital support, according to new fi gures released by Life Sciences Scotland. The landmark fi gure represents a 27% rise on the £67 million


Dolores Sanders, Strategic Director of Total Control Pro Ltd.


Business Secretary Greg Clark, said: “The winning women are developing pioneering innovations to tackle the grand challenges we face as a society, from a new paper coating to cut down single use plastic, to helping us train mechanics using simulators. This is our modern Industrial Strategy in action, backing businesses of all sizes across the UK to grow and boost the economy with the skills and inventions we need for the next generation.”


Dr Ian Campbell, Interim Chief Executive of Innovate UK, said: “Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards address a key barrier for diversity in innovation - a lack of female role models. By recognising their achievement with purple plaques, we are making sure that our 9 newly-crowned winners inspire the next generation of female innovators. Whether it’s inspiring young students showing a passion for STEM, someone with the spark of an idea or an innovative business ready to be taken to the next level, the Women in Innovation 2019 campaign aims to drive long term and far-reaching change.”


Dr Fanya Ismail, CEO & founder of SGMA Amongst the award winners were:


Alex Haslehurst, Vitrue Health – developing a tool to help clinicians assess patient health, particularly motor function, more effi ciently


Dr Debbie Wake, MyWay Digital Health – a digital platform that provides diabetes patients with personalised advice using patient information and home-recorded data


Dolores Sanders, Total Control Pro Ltd – using big data-sharing to streamline small businesses’ manufacturing processes


Dr Fanya Ismail, Sol-Gel Coatings and Advanced Materials – using a ‘sol-gel’ chemical process to create plastic-free coffee cup coating


Alex Haslehurst, co-founder and CTO, Vitrue Health.


Businesses Secure Record Equity Investment as Growth Continues


investment made during the previous 12 months.


Companies that had secured funding in the past year include AdoRx, BioFilm, Calcivis, CareSourcer, Current (formerly Snap40), DYSIS Medical, Exscientia, Invizius, ScotBio and Ubiquigent.


In 2017/2018, the Scottish Investment Bank,


the


investment arm of Scottish Enterprise, had invested almost £8 million and leveraged almost £104 million in the Life Sciences and Chemical Sectors. This covers both SE directly managed and externally managed funds and represents investments into 41 companies, one of which contributed £79 million of private sector leverage.


Venture capital fi rms and business angel groups that have provided funding to Scottish companies during the year, include MMC Ventures, Accelerated Digital Ventures, Epidarex, IP Group, Mercia Fund Managers, Archangel,


Par Equity, Lundbeckfonden


Ventures, GT Healthcare Partners, Kelvin Capital, Julz LLP and Legal & General.


Scotland’s life sciences fi rms have also


been encouraged to take advantage of the £200 million


Scottish-European Growth


Co-Investment Programme (SEGCP) which typically offers up to £10 million in match funding plus advice and introductions to institutional investors. Sealing equity deals has helped life sciences companies to cement their reputation as a major force in Business Expenditure on Research and Development (BERD), with the sector accounting for one quarter of Scotland’s total BERD.


Dave Tudor, Co-Chair of the Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group, said: “Securing equity investment is a crucial part of growing a life sciences business. Few companies will be able to fuel all their ambitions for growth through their own cashfl ow or bank lending, and so bringing on board external investors can be key to their expansion plans.”


“Such investment not only allows companies to extend their production and manufacturing capabilities, but also stokes their research and development work, creating the products and services we need for the future.”


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