Qualoria head to US for official launch
Daresbury-based Qualoria, was officially launched at the 2010 Bio International Conference in Chicago on 5th May. Qualoria can change the way that the healthcare and life sciences sector does business, by offering a global service that enables pharmaceutical assets to be partnered with companies capable of taking them to market. The company which last month secured an £18,800 grant from the Northwest Development Agency, allows companies with assets, including therapeutics, technologies, diagnostics and devices to post these online for free. Interested parties from around the globe can search for assets and potential partners and immediately initiate secure, confidential on line dialogues.
Juvista trial on track after Renovo completes recruitment
Manchester-based company Renovo Group Plc announced on 29 March that it had recruited all the patients needed for the crucial European phase III trial of Juvista. The drug, which is used to treat disfiguring scars, is based upon a sugar discovered at the University of Manchester. The trial has recruited more than 350 patients from 55 centres in 10 countries including UK, France, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Denmark, Latvia and USA.
Lung imaging technology attracts UMIP investment
The UMIP Premier Fund has invested an undisclosed amount in University of Manchester medical technology spin-out BiOxyDyn. The company, based at the University’s Core Technology Facility, has developed an innovative new approach to 3D lung imaging. It uses an enhanced form of magnetic resonance imaging which exposes the patient to zero radiation compared to a CT scan, where the dose can be the equivalent of up to 100 chest x-rays. BiOxyDyn hopes that this will play a major role in the diagnosis and monitoring of two prominent conditions, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
AstraZeneca wins FDA approval for arthritis drug
AstraZeneca has received approval from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for its Vimovo drug, a painkiller tablet used to treat arthritis. The Company based at Alderley Park, has gained approval for the drug in the US, which is a pain-relieving, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drug. It has been co-developed with US drugs company Pozen and combines NSAID’s Nexium – a popular heartburn pill – in a bid to avoid the side effects of stomach ulcers that similar drugs have caused.
Also, AstraZeneca posted a 17 per cent rise in first-quarter pre-tax profits to $3.73bn on 29 April, well ahead of forecasts. Revenues were up 11 per cent at $8.58bn and the results, helped by higher sales of cholesterol drug Crestor, sparked a 2.6 per cent rise in the share price to 2,911.75p by the early afternoon.
AMS gains approval to sell skin adhesive into US operating theatres
Advanced Medical Solutions has won approval from authorities in the US for one of its topical skin adhesives to be used in the operating theatre. In a statement to the stock exchange, the Winsford-based company said that the US Food and Drug Administration had given it 510(K) clearance for the product, which is used for the closure and protection of surgical incisions in the operating room as an alternative to sutures and staples.
Provexis agrees £25m funding line
Life Sciences group Provexis, which is developing medical food and dietary supplements including its flagship product Fruitflow, has agreed a £25m equity finance line with investment bank Evolution Securities. The funds can now be drawn down at the discretion of Provexis over the next three years and Evolution in return will receive shares in the company at a discount. Chief Executive Stephen Moon said that while the company had sufficient capital to fund the continuing development of Fruitflow, the funding would accelerate the development of current technologies and/or acquire new technology.
Provexis has also signed a long-term research and development collaboration agreement with the Institute of Food Research. It will also work with the institute’s technology transfer company Plant Bioscience. As part of the deal, the company has been granted exclusive access to a portfolio of intellectual property related to the treatment and reduction of systemic inflammation, from which it said it intends to develop commercial products.
Also, shares of Provexis fell 8 per cent after the group said that a major shareholder had reduced its stake. DSM Venturing, a Dutch investor in start-up companies, sold 33 million shares, reducing its stake to 17.8 per cent from 20.8 per cent. In a statement to the market the company said that the sale is in line with DSM’s prudent investment policy and does not detract from their long-term commitment as a strategic investor in Provexis. Share prices have since recovered.
IS Pharma to beat expectations
Pharmaceutical company IS Pharma, have announced that its pre-tax profits for the year to 31 March were expected to be materially ahead of expectations. The Chester-based company added that ‘significant steps’ have been taken over the past year to further enhance the portfolio of products. Full year results will be announced on 2 June.
NVM launches investment firm with former DxS chairman
Private equity house NVM has teamed up with former DxS chairman Ron Long and consultant Chris Lyddon to set up an investment group targeting life sciences companies. RCC Lifesciences, which has been launched with an initial investment of £3m, will seek to help companies that need funding and expertise to commericalise their products.
LSTM launches €2.75m health programme
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has launched a four-year programme to improve the delivery of reproductive health services in Tanzania and Niger. The €2.75m initiative, funded by the European Union, has been designed by LSTM and the seven project partners to highlight and address the cultural barriers which reduce the reach and effectiveness of existing adolescent reproductive health (ARH) services. Poor ARH has been highlighted as a major cause of morbidity and worsening poverty for poor people in the sub-Saharan Africa.
Intertek acquires Ciba unit with Cheshire office
Quality testing company Intertek Group Plc has expanded its operation in the North West with the acquisition from BASF of the regulatory and safety testing business of Ciba Expert Services, whose UK-based regulatory services team is based in Macclesfield. Intertek did not disclose how much it was paying, but said that it was acquiring gross assets of around £4m and expects the business to generate about £20m in revenue in its first year.
Cyprotex receives French tax benefit
Macclesfield-based Cyprotex, which tests drugs for large pharma groups, has received French research tax credit approval. The approval will allow French pharmaceutical, biotech and agricultural companies to claim tax relief on work outsourced to the North West firm. In a statement released to the stock exchange on 21 April, Cyprotex said that the French Ministry of Research has granted it the French R&D tax credit accreditation as of March 2010, through to 2011.
Assura no longer takeover target
Assura, the Daresbury-based healthcare property group, said that it is no longer in an offer period after talks with interested parties were ended. In a statement to the stock exchange, the company reiterated comments made in January that it was in preliminary discussions that may or may not result in an offer being made, but have confirmed that these discussions have now been terminated and the parties from whom approaches were received do not intend to pursue a possible offer for the company.
Also, Assura said on 22 April that sales and operating profits in all its divisions were ahead of budget in the year to the end of March. In a pre-close trading update, the company will still record an overall loss for the year as a result of costs associated with discontinued operations.
Nanoco posts loss but boasts ‘significant progress’
Quantum dot manufacturer Nanoco Group Plc, posted a pre-tax loss of £475,000 on 30 March for the six months to 31 January, but said it had been a ‘period of significant progress’ for the company. The loss compared with a profit of £631,000 a year earlier and was achieved on revenues of £1.6m, down from £1.78m. In March, however, the company received a $2m milestone payment from a Japanese customer which is using its dots in general lighting and liquid crystal display backlights.
Healthcare Enterprise sees shares shoot up
Shares in Warrington medical products company Healthcare Enterprise climbed 23 per cent on 7 April to 31.5p after the business announced that Reproductive Sciences, a company in which it holds a 27 per cent stake, has received formal approval to sell its artificial insemination device in the US. The US Food and Drugs Administration has approved the sale of the Fertiligent sperm pump, used to help infertile couples conceive, following tests.
Epistem to launch RNA-AMP kits for sensitive gene expression
Manchester-based Epistem plc, launched their RNA-Amp™ kits for mRNA expression amplification at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual meeting in Washington on 18 April. The kits have been developed by Epistem’s Biomarker division for the amplification of cDNA from biological samples, enabling gene expression analysis and offering a 1000-fold increase in sensitivity compared to standard kits currently available commerically.
Four Seasons resumes debt talks
Residential care group Four Seasons Health Care held a private meeting with investors as it looks to extend a £600m bank loan that expires in September. The Wilmslow business and its investment bank Gleacher Shacklock invited noteholders to attend the meeting which was held on 27 April to initiate the negotiation process for the loan extension. The move comes less than a year after the group agreed a debt-for-equity swap with its lenders, reducing its debt to approximately £780m.
Mental health group secures £300,000
Liverpool’s Gray Healthcare, which provides care and support services to mental health patients, has secured a £300,000 funding line from Absolute Invoice Finance. The company is planning to use the money to help increase headcount over the next three years.
Prism Ideas Wins Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2010
Prism Ideas, a leading independent provider of medical communications and drug development consultancy services, announced on 21 April that it has been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2010 in the International Trade category for its outstanding growth in overseas markets. The award sees Prism recognised as one of the UK’s fastest growing international medical communications providers following a significant increase in export sales to international markets.
Hemingway receives scientific honour
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine director Janet Heminway has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), one of the highest scientific honours in the US. Professor Hemingway was elected as a foreign associate for her excellence in original scientific research. Only 18 foreign associates can be appointed annually.
UMIP appoints new chairman
UMIP, the University of Manchester’s intellectual property commercialisation company, has appointed Dr Krishnamurthy Rajagopal as its new chairman. Dr Rajagopal, an alumnus of The University of Manchester who completed his MSc in 1975 and his PhD in 1980, also holds non-executive directorships at engineering firms Bodycote plc, Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc and Ws Atkins plc, as well as being chairman of HHV Pumps Ltd, a private company based in Bagalore, India.
Qiagen makes two key appointments for new Pharma Development team
Qiagen announced on 19 April, the appointment of two high level members to the recently formed Pharma Business Development team. The creation and rapid expansion of this team is part of the company’s campaign to develop personalized healthcare solutions in partnership with the pharma industry through companion diagnostic co-development programmes. Dr Pia. Gargiulo joins as Senior Director and Richard Watts will assume a new role as director.
Hydra Polymers appoints new employees
Merseybio-based Hydra Polymers Ltd are delighted to welcome Niki Davies and Julien Marquiant to the company. Niki who joins the team as Office Manager and Marketing Executive, has a wealth of experience in conference planning and event management and Julien joins as Laboratory Technician bringing 12 years of experience in the chemical industry.
Professor appointed to the Chair of Paediatric Science
Professor Adrian Woolf has been appointed to the Chair of Paediatric Science at the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre. This is the first recruitment of 12 new Academic Chairs, which will see an unprecedented drive to bring the world’s top academics to Manchester. Professor Woolf moves from the University College London Institute of Child Health, where he set up and headed the academic Nephro-Urology Unit in 1998.
Professors named among ‘the nation’s most outstanding leaders of research’
Professor Graeme Black, Director of the Manchester Biomedical Research Centre and Honorary Consultant in Genetics and Ophthalmology and Professor Gareth Evans, Consultant Geneticist have recently been appointed as Senior Investigators by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Senior Investigators are NIHR’s finest researchers and include some of the nation’s most outstanding leaders of patient and people based health and social care research.
Cyprotex strengthens North American team
Macclesfield-based Cyprotex Plc, has appinted Ben Butterfield as Executive Director for business development in North America to help expand its operations within the region. Ben was previously Business Development Manager for Toxikon Corporation, which provides pre-clinical safety research to medical device and pharmaceutical companies.
Inspiring Women 2010 Awards
The 2010 Inspiring Women of the North West Awards took place on 14 May in Manchester and Jane Davies, Chief Executive Officer at Manchester Science Park was presented with an awarded in the Business category.
Associate Director of Clinical Research
The School of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University is seeking to appoint an Associate Director of Clinical Research. Applications are invited from ambitious staff with expertise in medical statistics, epidemiology or related fields, a track record of contributions to methodological and applied clinical research, and the combination of professional expertise, personal skills and initiative to ensure success. For informal enquiries, please contact Professor John Goodacre on 01524 593169 or [email protected]. Closing date for this post is Friday 28 May 2010.
R&D Scientist Vacancies at Biofortuna Ltd
Biofortuna Ltd has an exciting opportunity for two scientists to work on projects within R&D and manufacturing. Assisting on a new project, the R&D scientists will report directly to the R&D director and will be responsible for implementation and interpretation of experimental work for the development and testing of new and existing products. To succeed, you will preferably have experience working in a lab and be able to work unsupervised. A science background is essential, with a Bachelor of Science degree preferred. For further information, please contact Mike Bunce ([email protected]) or Ben Passey ([email protected])
Advertise your vacancies free of charge
Bionow is committed to providing an excellent to service to all of it’s members and as part of this, we are offering to advertise your Northwest job vacancies free of charge on the Bionow website and also in the next edition of the newsletter. For further information and to submit your advert, please email [email protected]
BIA and ABPI R&D Conference
On Monday 25 October, ABPI and BIA are hosting a conference entitled ‘A World Leading Global for Innovative Lifescience Research and Development – Our Vision for a New Decade’. The conference will bring together delegates to discuss, network and showcase the opportunities in, and for the UK; promote industry-academic-NHS research collaborations; review progress on key initiatives; identify gaps and opportunities to improve partnership and signpost the vision for the future. For further information and to register please email [email protected]
Clinical aspects of Regenerative Medicine Event
The Manchester Biomedical Research Centre is hosting an event on the Clinical Aspects of Regenerative Medicine on Monday 21 June at the Nowgen Centre, Manchester. The event will bring together academics, clinician scientists and industry representatives to focus on current efforts to bring these innovative therapies to clinic and the ‘green shoots’ of the Regenerative Medicine industry. For further information and to register, please email [email protected] or phone 0161 276 3281
Enabling The Bioscience Industry to Deliver Clinical Research within the UK National Health Service
The BioIndustry Association in conjunction with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), is holding a joint workshop on enabling the bioscience industry to deliver clinical research within the UK National Health Service on Thursday 20 May. The event, which is being held in London, has been designed to inform all interested parties and stakeholders, from both industry and academia, about the role of the NIHR Clinical Research Network in facilitating the conduct of biopharmaceutical companies sponsored studies within the NHS. To register, please visit http://www.bioindustry.org/
Tec Exec Business Breakfast
Liverpool Innovation Park are hosting their second quarterly Tech Exec Business Breakfast on Thursday 20 May. This event is an informal high intensity networking opportunity available to 100 business leaders involved in and supporting knowledge-intensive companies. Registration and breakfast will be available from 8am, and Phil Smears, Director from sdesign 1 Ltd will be presenting at the event. For further information and to register, please contact Mark Tock on 0151 261 4665.
Delivering better health services
The Health Services Research Network and Service Delivery Organisation Network conference is an opportunity to hear about the latest research in health services and systems and debate crucial healthcare questions. Taking place on Wednesday 2 – Thursday 3 June at the Manchester Central Convention Centre, the conference will feature a variety of presentations, workshops and discussion on delivering better health services as a valuable opportunity for those at the forefront of healthcare research, policy and delivery. For further information and to book your place, please email [email protected].
Daresbury Business Breakfast June
The Daresbury Business breakfast is an opportunity to connect with the North’s most dynamic hi-tech individuals, organisations and their supply and support communities. The event held at the Daresbury Innovation Centre, has no heavy speeches, no presentations, just a relaxed, informal but high-intensity sharing of knowledge. Arrival begins from 8am to 9.30am, however many guests stay longer to maximise networking opportunities. To register, please visit www.daresburysic.co.uk/registration.
Bionow Network Evening June
Bionow are hosting a network evening in Manchester on Tuesday 22 June at the Core Technology Facility. We are delighted that Professor John Hunt, Head of Unit, Clinical Engineering at the University of Liverpool and Dr John Conti-Ramsden, Director of the Knowledge Centre Material Chemistry will be the Key Speakers at the event. If you wish to attend or require any further information please visit www.bionow.co.uk or contact Helen Williams at [email protected].
Medica 2010, Dusseldorf
Medilink Northwest with support from Bionow, will be returning to Medica in 2010 to assist in raising the profile of North West companies at what is a prestigious world forum for healthcare technologies. The event, which is the world’s largest healthcare technologies trade fair, is taking place in Dusseldorf on 17-20 November. The exhibitor package available will be £2500 for Medilink members and £2700 for non-members. For further information, please contact Karen Field on 0161 660 9482 or [email protected]
University to research disease spread
The University of Liverpool is part of an international consortium that has secured £3m from the European Commission Seventh Framework programme to research how climate modelling can help predict the spread of infectious diseases in Africa. Researchers from 13 European and African Institutes will work together to integrate data from climate modelling and disease forecasting systems to predict the likelihood of an epidemic up to six months in advance.
LIP and LSP agreed memorandum
Liverpool Innovation Park and Liverpool Science Park have announced the agreement of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations. This sets out the distinct and complementary offer that each organisation provides to knowledge-based companies looking to locate and grow in Liverpool. The agreement also outlines how each park intends to develop in the future.
Alder Hey short list two
Two of the biggest names in the UK construction industry have been shortlisted for the £288m Alder Hey Children’s Health Park Project in Liverpool. Balfour Beatty and Laing will now work closely with the hospital’s project team before one of them is selected as the preferred bidder by Alder Hey’s trust board.
Grants available for DIA Washington, 13-17 June
The Clinical Contract Research Association (CCRA) has a number of grants available for UK SMEs to attend the DIA Annual Meeting being held on 13-17 June in Washington. Companies that satisfy the eligibility criteria will receive a grant of £1400 towards the cost of attending this event. For further information, please email [email protected] or contact Sue Dilks on 0116 271 9727.
NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme
The National Institute for Health Research’s Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme would like to invite submissions of applications to funding streams 3 and 4. Stream 3 applications must include collaboration between at least one industry and one research partner aiming to determine the commercial viability of a proposed device or technology. Stream 4 applications should build on the results of a completed assessment of feasibility and must also have a collaboration between at least one industry and one research partner. For further information on eligibility and to submit an application, please visit http://www.nihr-ccf.org.uk/site/programmes/i4i/.
Charity secures government grant
Liverpool charity health at work has won a grant from the government’s Challenge Fund to tackle mental health issues in the city. The charity will use the undisclosed grant to fund three projects to help employees and employers tackle mental health issues such as stress, depression and anxiety.
European funding conference picks Manchester
A two-day European conference called Innovation will take place at Manchester Central in December. Secured by the Northwest Development Agency, Visit Manchester, Manchester City Council, Salford City Council and Manchester Knowledge Capital, the conference is an annual event for the INTERREG IVB North West Europe, European Programme. The programme will invest €355m from the European Regional Development Fund into the economic, environmental and social fabric of North West Europe between now and 2013.
Dental training facility launched in Manchester
A new dental training facility has been launched in Manchester by dentists Phil Broughton and Andy McLean, the owners of dental practice Mall Advanced Dental Care. The 6,000 sq ft training centre, known are DARE (Dental Advancement Refinement Education), features a 300-seat lecture theatre, 20 work stations for trainees and five working surgeries.
Scientists develop a new computational method to uncover gene regulation
Scientists have developed a new computational model to uncover gene regulation, the key to how our body develops – and how it can go wrong. The researchers, from The University of Manchester, Aalto University and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory Heidelberg, say the new method identifies targets of regulator genes. The human genome contains instructions for making all the cells in our body. An individual cell’s make up depends on how these instructions are read, and is controlled by gene regulatory mechanisms. Uncovering these mechanisms holds a key to greatly improving our understanding of biological systems.
GSK partnership to show how body clock controls disease
In a partnership between the Biomedical Research Centre, the University of Manchester and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), researchers will investigate how our biological clock controls inflammation in lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is hoped that the project, worth more that £500,000, will lead to the development of new drugs which will target how the internal body clock regulates the severity of inflammation.
