Bionow Newsletter
Companies
Watson Pharmaceuticals announced on 29 January that it had completed the acquisition of Eden Biopharm Group Limited for approximately $15 million. Eden, which will be part of Watson's Global Brands Division, will maintain its established contract services model, while providing the company with proven biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing capabilities. Watson's President and Chief Executive Officer said 'Completing the acquisition of Eden is the next strategic step in our commitment to establishing a major position in biologic products on a global basis.
AstraZeneca buys infection research company
Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, has announced plans to buy French-based infection research company Novexel for up to $505m (£316m). The company, which employs nearly 7000 people in Alderley Park and Macclesfield, will work on a joint venture partnership with US-based Forest Laboratories to help develop and commercialise two antibiotic drugs developed by Novexel - ceftazidime/NXL-104 (CAZ104) and ceftaroline/NXL-104 (CEF104). The firm will pay $350m on completion of the deal, $80m for its cash balance and a further $75m to Novexel shareholders if certain milestones are met.
SpheriTech secures business angel cash
Research and synthetic DNA firm SpheriTech, based at the Heath Business Park in Runcorn, has secured an undisclosed six-figure investment from an anonymous business angel. The investor has taken a 20 per cent holding in the company, which will enable the business to employ a specialist member of staff and enhance the company's efforts to secure further funding. Founder Don Wellings said 'The investment will strengthen the team and allow the company to apply for government funding'.
IS Pharma granted exclusive licence
Chester-based IS Pharma, has been granted the exclusive licence and supply rights for Aequasyal in the UK. Aequasyal is an oral spray used to treat dry mouth xerostomia, a symptom common in cancer patients. Under the terms of the agreement IS Pharma plans to launch the spray in the UK in the second quarter of the year. It has also acquired the option for exclusive rights to the product in Germany.
AMS announces new US sales deal
Advanced Medical Solutions Group Plc, the Winsford-based wound care products maker, announced a distribution deal for its LiquiBand skin adhesive range in the USA on 28 January. Cardinal Health will market to hospitals, care centres, and surgeries as part of a strategy to form multiple partnerships to commercialise the product. AMS already has a partnership with Stryker Corporation for global marketing and distribution of some LiquiBand wound closure products for facial surgery.
Synexus acquires ClinPharm
Chorley-based Synexus, which runs clinical trials from its network of research centres, has extended it's footprint in Europe with the acquisition of German business ClinPharm. The deal increases the number of facilities the company has to 26, adding eight centres in Germany and strengthening the companies portfolio in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2007, Synexus was taken private and is backed by equity from Lyceum Capital.
Vindon acquires US distributor
Rochdale-based Vindon Healthcare Plc has acquired the US distributor of its storage products. The company which provides low-temperature storage facilities for drug companies and also supplies blood banks, is buying Westech Intruments Inc from parent company Westech Instrument Services Ltd. Vindon said it plans to grow the US business substantially by setting up its own stability storage operation in Atlanta in June 2010.
SSL report confident sales
SSL International, which has its biggest UK operation in Manchester, has said the encouraging sales growth seen in the first half of its financial year has continued, driven by the strength of its Durex and Scholl brands. The business added that its balance sheet remains strong thanks to a new £410m banking facility to June 2013.
Ai2 receive UMIP Premier Fund
Manchester University spin-out company Ai2, who are developing an antibacterial coating substance for medical devices has received a £250,000 investment from the UMIP Premier Fund. The company will use the money to progress the development of its protein-like substances and to seek alliances with manufacturers of contact lenses and wound dressings.
Reaxa awarded NWDA grant funding
Reaxa based in Manchester, have been awarded a £146,191 grant for research and development from the Northwest Development Agency. The money will be used to carry out an 18-month research project to increase production of a catalyst used to recover metal residues from industrial processes.
Compliance wins tender process
Northwich-based Compliance Control Ltd were recently awarded a tender to support Galenika A.D. with compliance and validation of a business and manufacturing control system, as a result of identifying regulatory expectations within Seberia. Galenika A.D is an internationally recognised company and was the first pharmaceutical facility in Serbia.
Avecia Biologics is sold to Merck
Pharmaceutical giant Merck has acquired contract manufacturing organisation Avecia Biologics as part of its expansion strategy. Avecia, which is headquartered in Manchester with sites in the North East and US, develops medicines targeted at forms of cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Assura confirms takeover talks
Shares in Warrington healthcare provider Assura Group have hit a 12-month high after the company's board confirmed it was in talks about a possible takeover. In a statement to the stock exchange, the business said discussions were at a 'very early stage' and there was no certainty that an offer will be forthcoming. However the share price has climbed 21 per cent to 46p following the announcement.
Cyprotex share price recovers
Cyprotex Plc, the Macclesfield-based company which tests drugs for big pharma groups, said on 29 January that its results for 2009 would be in line with market expectations. Chief Executive Anthony Baxter said that it had seen a 'solid level of activity' in November and December. The company issued a statement three weeks ago after its share price suddenly slipped by more than 15 per cent to 2.95p. The company knew of no reason for the fall and the shares have since recovered to 3.13p.
Intercytex gets go ahead for market exit
Shareholders in Manchester-based regenerative medicine company Intercytex Group Plc have approved the company's plans to delist from the Alternative Investment Market and sell of its assets. Following a vote at a general meeting held in London on 23 December, the shares were cancelled on 8 January and the company will change its name to Regenerative Medicine Assets Ltd.
Duke Street sells Affinity
Affinity Healthcare, which owns Cheadle Royal Hospital, has been sold to the Priory Group by its private-equity owner Duke Street Capital. The deal, which is subject to clearance by the Office of Fair Trading, will see the Priory extend its footprint into the NHS.
People & Jobs
AMS appoint Chief Operating Officer
Advanced Medical
Solutions Group Plc, announced on 19 January that Chris
Meredith, Group Commerical Director has been promoted to Chief
Operating Officer 'to better reflect the breadth of his
existing role'.
Non-executive purchase Renovo shares
Susan Taylor, a non-executive Director at Renovo Group Plc, made her first purchase of shares in
January, 14 months after joining the board. The Manchester-based
biopharmaceutical company said on 13 January that she has bought
20,788 shares at 20p on 12 January, giving her a 0.01 per cent
stake.
Manchester researcher appointed new UK 'Dementia
Tsar'
Professor Alistair Burns at The University of Manchester has been appointed
as the new National Clinical Director for Dementia. Professor Burns
will promote better care of people with dementia within
theNHS and social care communities and provide leadership
for the implementation of the National Dementia Strategy.
Provexis Plc seek formulation scientist
MerseyBIO-based
Provexis Plc, the life-science company that
discovers, develops and licences scientifically-proven technologies
for the global functional food, medical and dietary supplement
sectors, are seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic Formulation
Scientist to join their research and development facility in
Liverpool. The candidate will have an interest in novel product
development to take charge of formulation development, and the
accompanying QC and safety testing. For further information, please
email Steve Morrison, Chief Operating Officer at steve.morrison@provexis.com.
Office Manager required for Hydra Polymers Ltd
Hydra Polymers
Ltd, is a young start-up company based at the MerseyBio Incubator in Liverpool. The business
has innovative technology, and has grown since formation in 2007.
Due to further expansion, they are now seeking an Office
Manager to work in a lively and fast developing environment.
Reporting to the CEO, the main responsibilities will be to provide
office support to the team including the CEO, technical director,
interim project manager, 5 lab based scientists and 2 non execs.
For further information, please contact Nigel Seddon on 0151 795
4121 by 19 February.
Events
Innovation Networking
Event
The Health Tech
Hub invites you to attend the next innovation network evening
on Tuesday 9 February at The Innovation Centre, Blackburn. Matthew
Theobald, Prinicipal, Three Circles Consulting Ltd will be speaking
at the event entitled 'Project Fractures - How can we minimise
the occurrence of costly project over-runs, and reduce the risk of
failure?' For further information email enquiries@healthtechhub.co.uk
Healthcare trade mission to Japan
UK Trade &
Investment is organising the eighth healthcare trade mission to
Japan in March 2010. All UK registered companies engaged in the
supply of healthcare or medical devices and service are eligible to
participate in the mission. For further information, please contact
Bob Kipps at robert.kipps@ukti.gsi.gov.uk.
Innovations Technology Access Centre launch
Professor Keith Mason, Chief Executive of the
Science and Technology
Facilities Council (STFC), cordially invites you to the
official launch of the Innovations Technology Access Centre (I-TAC)
at the Daresbury Science
and Innovation Campus on Thursday 4 February. At the launch you
will have the opportunity to tour the I-TAC, meet the STFC
innovations team and some of the tenant companies. For further
information, please contact Anne Green on 01925 603432 or email
itac@stfc.ac.uk.
Knowledge workshop for industry
The Liverpool Biomedical Research Centre is hosting a
knowledge exchange workshop for industry on Friday 5 February. The
Liverpool Biomedical Research Centre is part of the
National Research Strategy and aims to be a pioneer in the
translation of new diagnostic tools for the benefit of the public,
focusing on Microbial diseases. The workshop themes include
diagnostics, vaccines, drugs and material web-based tools. For
further information please contact David Price on 0151 709 4002 or
email david.price@rlbuht.nhs.uk.
Bio 2010 - Chicago
Bio 2010 is the
largest gathering in the Global Biotech industry calendar and
provides opportunity for extensive networking with potential
investors, collaborators and partners with over 15,000 attendees in
2009. The Bioindustry
Association (BIA) with UKTI is
inviting BIA members to
exhibit at the UK pavilion within the UK Innovation Zone for
Bio 2010. Companies
can use this event to showcase their services, products and
technologies and use the area to hold meetings and give
presentations. There are currently 10 trade show access grants
available for interested companies subject to eligibility criteria.
For further information, please contact Hamish Butler by email
hbutler@bioindustry.org or
phone 020 7565 7167.
Bionow Networking Event 2010
Bionow are hosting a network evening
in Manchester on Thursday 4 March at the Core Technology Facility
.We are delighted that Tony Bradshaw and Sue Dunkerton
from Healthcate & Medicines KTN will be the Key
Speakers at the event giving an overview of the new Healthcare
& Medicines KTN. If you wish to attend or require any further
information please visit www.bionow.co.uk or contact Helen Williams at
helen.williams@nwda.co.uk.
regeNer8 Industry Challenge Event
regeNer8 are
launching the Industry Challenge 2010 at a meeting at the Core
Technology Facility in Manchester on 23 February. This is a highly
significant meeting, backed by the Technology Strategy Board, and aimed at scoping
the major issues facing the regenerative medicine industry and
approaching N8 members to create consortia to seek early solutions.
The is an excellent programme based upon a successful platform
developed by regeNer8 in 2009,
which created two very strong funded consortias. For further
information, please contact Rekah Palmer on r.e.palmer@leeds.ac.uk.
Information
Life Science Super Cluster announced
On 26 January, the Government announced plans for a
new UK Life Sciences Super Cluster, supported by
£1 million of Governent investment. Bringing together
industry, academia and the NHS, it will help to deliver the next
generation of medicines and technologies needed to support people
suffering from chronic diseases. At the heart will be the creation
of Therapeutic Capability Clusters, these will be made up of a
small number of selected academic and NHS centres of excellence,
which will work with industry to harness UK capabilities in
specific therapeutic areas and work on early stage clinical
development and experimental medicine. The new Super Cluster will
be kick-started later this year with a pilot in immunology and
inflammation focussing on diseases in areas such as asthma and
rheumatoid arthritis.
Lancaster University - Biomedical Consultation
Lancaster University
is delivering a biomedical consultation project through the
Higher Level Skills
Partnership initiative, supported by the Northwest Development Agency and co-ordinated by the
North West
Universities' Association. The project will be delivered by
the Centre for Training and Development and the Division of
Biomedical and Life Sciences in the School of Health and Medicine
at Lancaster University. The project is a consultation with the
Biomedical Sector in order to develop courses to meet the needs of
Graduate in their first year of employment, experiences graduates
with specific development needs and non-graduates with the
experience and ability to benefit from postgraduate level learning.
For further information please email or to complete the course
questionnaire, please click here.
Three shortlisted for Daresbury partnership
A shortlist of three has been drawn up in the bid to find a private
sector joint venture partner for Daresbury Science
and Innovation Campus (SIC). British Land, Igloo Regeneration and Langtree
have been selected by the existing public sector partners at the
campus - the Northwest Development
Agency, Science and Technology
Facilities Council and Halton Borough
Council - following a round of detailed proposal submissions.
The creation of the Daresbury SIC joint venture will see around 1m
sq ft of new space developed for science and innovation facilities,
which will bring more than 6,000 new jobs to the area over the next
30 years.
Your old Autoclave is worth money
LTE
Scientific has introduced it's own scrappage scheme for
customers looking to buy a new autoclave. Regardless of make, age
or condition, LTE will take away customers old autoclaves and make
an additional allowance against a new LTE autoclave. This offer
applies across LTE
Scientific's entire autoclave range. When buying a new LTE
cylindrical-chambered autoclave, the minimum scrappage allowance
offered will be £500. When buying a new LTE
square-chambered autoclave, the scrappage allowance increases to a
minimum of £1000. This offer is open to all UK customers
buying a new autoclave directly from LTE
Scientific between now and the end of June 2010. For further
information, please contact LTE Scientific on 01457 876221 or
info@lte-scientifc.co.uk
Pfizer on-line equipment auction
An Online Auction is being organised (with lots
closing on 11 Feb 2010) by Order of Pfizer, UK. The sale offers Science Park tenant
companies in particular the opportunity to acquire quality used
equipment. The online auction is for over 400 lots of Laboratory
Equipment from Pfizer's,
Sandwich (UK) Research and Development Facility Includes
HPLCs, Liquid Handling, Chromatography Sytems, Microscopes, Ovens,
Centrifuges and much more. Visit the Auction Site for more information.Register now
for this sale and GoIndustry Dovebid's European Biopharma
Exchange on the 17 Feb. Lots in this sale include well maintained
Shimadzu Axima-TOF 2TM and Waters Micromass Q-TOF-2TM Mass Spectrometers.
EPSRC Industrial CASE Awards 2010
In Collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC), the
Northwest Development Agency invites
applications for one of 2 EPSRC PhD Industrial CASE studentships.
For further information and to download an application form, please
click here. These awards enable companies to
take the lead in defining and setting up research projects with a
research organisation of their choice. Projects must be in
engineering or physical sciences and jointly supervised by the
academic and industrial partners. Closing date for application is
30 April 2010.
bioProcessUK welcomes investment in bioprocessing research
bioProcessUK, part of the HealthTech
and Medicines Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), has welcomed
the announcement that the Biotechnology and
Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
(EPSRC) will invest a further £9 million in funding in the
Bioprocessing Research Industry Club (BRIC) in partnership with
bioprocessing companies in the UK and the KTN. Bioprocess has
worked with the bio pharmaceutical industry since 2005 to ensure
strong engagement in the BRIC. The first phase of BRIC was endorsed
by the Bioscience Innovation and Growth Team Review and Refresh of
Bioscience 2015 and received a highly positive response from the
BBSRC's review panel.
Research
Scientists put psoriasis drugs to the test
Clinical trials to test the effectiveness of two
prescription drugs for the debilitating skin condition psoriasis
have revealed significant differences that should help inform
physicians treating patients with the condition. Researchers at the
University of
Manchester compared drugs etanercept and ustekinumab -
relatively new biological therapies that have proved effective in
the management of moderate to severe psoriasis. The team, headed by
world-renowned dermatologist and psoriasis expert Professor Chris
Griffiths, found that there was at least a 75% improvement in the
severity of psoriasis symptoms in 56.8% of patients who received
twice-weekly 50mg sub-cutaneous injections of etanercept after 12
weeks.
Studies advise on fluoridated toothpaste use in children
Parents should use toothpastes that contain
fluoride with a minimum concentration of 1,000 parts per million to
prevent tooth decay in their children, says a new report.
Preventing tooth decay can help reduce the need for extensive and
costly dental treatments, including extractions. Researchers for
the Cochrane Oral Health
Group, based at the School of
Dentistry at the University of Manchester have previously shown
that fluoride toothpastes reduce dental decay by 24% in average
compared to non-fluoride products.
Scientists complete first rewire of genetic switches
Researchers in Manchester have successfully carried
out the first rewire of genetic switches, creating what could be a
vital tool for the development of new drugs and even future gene
therapies. A team of scientists from the School of
Chemistry and Manchester Interdisciplinary
Biocentre (MIB) at the University of
Manchester have found a way of hijacking so-called
'riboswitches' and directing gene activity. Working within
cells of bacteria, chemical biologist Professor Jason Micklefield
and his team have rewired these genetic switches so they are no
longer activated by small naturally pccurring molecules found in
cells - but through the addition of a synthetic molecule.
Ethnicity and past pregnancies determine breastfeeding
rates
A University of
Manchester study published in the journal BMC
Pediatrics has found that ethnicity and the number of previous
births can predict the length of time a woman breastfeeds her
child. The researchers say the findings are important since the UK
has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates worldwide. The UK
Government recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfeed
for the first six months of life based on World Health Organization guidelines.
Datamonitor
Datamonitor is pleased to support
the work of Bionow. By reporting on the shape of the Biotech
industry, Datamonitor aims to help Northwest firms stay one step
ahead in the global marketplace.
The UK's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
(BBSRC) is among a host of investors providing £5m to create
30 new laboratories and offices at Norwich Research Park. The aim
is to attract new science start-ups and, specifically, create 5,000
research jobs by 2021.
Other investors include the East of England Development Agency
(providing £1.4m), the Greater Norwich Development Partnership
(£1m) and the University of East Anglia (£500,000). The
new facilities are due to open in summer 2010 and are currently
being considering by a number of established UK biotech firms, as
well as new ventures.
Elsewhere, Sheffield-based biotech Kirkstall has secured a
£170,000 investment as part of its strategy to eliminate the
need to test chemicals, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics on animals.
The announcement follows Kirkstall's successful landing of a
three-year toxicity testing contract for which it is currently
developing new technologies.
In regulatory news, the FDA has approved Shire's once-daily
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drug Intuniv in
children aged six to 17. Clinical trials showed that the treatment
is successful in addressing symptoms of ADHD, particularly sleep
issues linked to the condition.
Intuniv is often used in combination with stimulant medication
therapies to provide a significant improvement in symptoms, despite
the drug only being FDA-approved as a monotherapy.
UK cost-effectiveness watchdog the National Institute for Clinical
Health (NICE) has this month approved UCB's new rheumatoid
arthritis drug, Cimzia, but only in conjunction with a
company-sponsored patient access scheme. Under the scheme, UCB will
pay for the first 12 weeks of all patients' therapy, regardless
of patient response to treatment. The NHS will foot the bill after
this time, at an estimated annual cost of £9,295. This is a
shrewd method of ensuring Cimzia's use on the NHS, considering
NICE's recent spate of cost-related rejections [
Read more].
Finally, London-based Silence Therapeutics has completed its merger
with Intradigm, raising £15m through institutional investors
and the investment vehicles of major pharmaceutical firms. It is
thought that the enlarged company, which retains the name Silence
Therapeutics, will become a leader in the field of RNA interference
[
Read more].
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