Bionow Newsletter October

Companies

Renovo wins European Biotechnica award
Renovo Group plc has won first prize in the European Biotechnica Award 2007. This was the first time that the award has been won by a UK biotech company. The award, which brings with it benefits worth up to 100,000 Euros, is presented by the Deutsche Messe AG to European biotech and life science companies in related fields. The international jury, which was made up of distinguished biotech experts from six countries, selected the winner from a list of 27 applicants. The major criteria in the selection of the award winners were the marketability, relevance and impact of the products under consideration and the existence of a potentially successful marketing concept and strategy.

Renovo expands in Manchester
The UK's largest listed biotech company, Renovo Group, is expanding its presence in Manchester. Renovo, which specialises in scar prevention and reduction, will take a further 25,000 sq ft at The University of Manchester Incubator Company's Core Technology Facility (CTF), while maintaining its premises at the Manchester Incubator building. This expansion is partially funded by the The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA)

Inverness Medical Innovations acquires Stockport-based Bio-Stat Healthcare Group
On October 3rd 2007, Bio-Stat Healthcare Group was acquired by Inverness Medical Innovations. Inverness Medical Innovations is a leading global developer of advanced diagnostic devices and is presently exploring new technologies in a variety of professional diagnostic and consumer-orientated applications, including immuno-diagnostics, with a focus on women's health, cardiology and infectious disease. The Company's new product development efforts, as well as its position as a leading supplier of consumer pregnancy and fertility/ovulation tests and rapid point-of-care diagnostics, are supported by the strength of its intellectual property portfolio.

Chorley based Vernon-Carus Limited is made provisional preferred bidder for multimillion pound NHS decontamination project
Vernon-Carus Limited has been made the provisional preferred bidder for the Mersey Joint Venture Decontamination project. The 15 year contract with projected revenues of over £110m will be serviced from the new company's state-of-the-art supercentre in Chorley and a new unit to be built on the Wirral Peninsula. Vernon-Carus invested £10m in the construction of the Chorley site and were the first fully accredited decontamination centre in England and have been servicing hospitals throughout the North of England since April 2006.

Synexus acquired by Lyceum Capital
Synexus, the Chorley based drug trials company with 150 staff, is to be acquired by private equity firm Lyceum Capital for £18m.

Oldham based Vindon Healthcare has recorded strong half-year interim results
Vindon Healthcare which makes storage facilities for pharmaceutical and medical use, has recorded another strong half-year in its interim results. Turnover is up 16 per cent to £2.1m with profit rising 28 per cent to £557,000

Tepnel Life Sciences has roared into profit in the first half of its financial year
Manchester basedTepnel Life Sciences has roared into profit in the first half of its financial year. The AIM-listed moecular diagnostics and research company reported that revenue is up by 11 per cent to £9.02m.

Protherics strikes South Korean deal for delivery technology
Protherics, the Runcorn based company, has licensed its ReGel sustained-release drug delivery to the South Korean firm Myungmoon Pharm, which is to apply it to anti-inflammatory products for arthritis and other indications. The UK firm will receive a "small" up-front fee as part of the deal as well as royalties on net sales. It also has an option to acquire global rights (outside South Korea) to Myungmoom products using the technology. This was originally acquired as part of Protherics' purchase of Macromed and comprises a drug carrying gel which solidifies on injection, providing local sustained release. Protherics is already conducting Phase II trials with OncoGel, a ReGel formulation of the anticancer paclitaxel.

Gemini Biomedical received £1/4m funding from the Liverpool Seed Fund
Gemini Biomedical has developed an innovative health screening service that has been backed by the Merseyside Special Investment Fund's Liverpool Seed Fund. The company which has created a pharmacy-based integrated medical screening service called HealthTrack to assess individuals applying for life cover and private health insurance policies will receive £1/4m. Trained healthcare assistants collect basic information such as weight, height and blood pressure and use a new oral swab test to collect a blood derived fluid found in gums. This technology replaces the traditional blood test and can detect a variety of conditions including HIV and hepatitis. It can also confirm an applicant's drinking, smoking and drug taking habits.

Merseyside Special Investment Fund's Liverpool Seed Fund backs Palindromx's development of revolutionary blood testing technology
A new technology could potentially save the lives of thousands through the early detection of fatal diseases, thanks to the backing from Merseyside Special Investment Fund's Liverpool Seed Fund. PalindromX, a University of Liverpool spin-out company, has developed a patented technology that increases the sensitivity of blood testing and has secured initial funding of £100,000 to complete the Proof of Concept phase. The technology gives a quicker and more accurate diagnosis that enables a more appropriate and timely treatment. 

People & Jobs

Eden Biodesign appoints Roger Lias as President Eden Biodesign, USA
Eden Biodesign Ltd, the Speke based company, has appointed Roger Lias as President for Eden Biodesign, USA. Roger has extensive experience in the biotechnology industry with a specific emphasis on biomanufacturing services and his responsibilities will include identifying and establishing strategic business partnerships and expanding Eden Biodesign's offer to the large US biopharmaceutical sector.

Healthsure appoint Director
James Glover has been appointed director of member services at Manchester healthcare provider HealthSure, he will take responsibility for the company moving forward.

University of Liverpool boosts health and life sciences support for industry
The University of Liverpool's Business Gateway has recently established a new team of Business Managers responsible for development of commercial opportunities arising from the University's medical and life science activities. Dr Ruth McDermott who leads the Bio-medical team brings a wealth of sector experience from her previous role at the University of Manchester and is joined by Dr Sonja Jonas and Dr Jim Logue who joined following years of involvement with the University's MerseyBIO operation.

Laureate will chair Institute of Science, Ethics and Innovation
Nobel Laureate John Sulston FRS is to join The University of Manchester's Faculty of Life Sciences and will chair a new research institute focusing on the ethical questions raised by science and technology in the 21st Century. The 2002 Nobel Prize winner and pioneer of genomic research will be joined in the cross-discipline Institute of Science, Ethics and Innovation by Professor John Harris, a world-renowned authority in bioethics in Manchester's School of Law.

Manchester Teams Triumph at NW workshop for BBSRC YES Competition to be Biotechnology Stars of the Future
Two Manchester teams have won places in the final of a national competition to find the entrepreneurial bioscientists of the future. Joint winning teams, Optdermis and Futurzyme, beat off stiff competition from 16 other teams from universities and institutes around the UK in the NW workshop of the Biotechnology Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (Biotechnology YES) 2007 competition. They will fly the flag for the North West in December in London where the winner will collect £1000. The workshop was sponsored and co-arranged by Bionow (NWDA) and UMIC Ltd with additional sponsorship form AstraZeneca, MIDAS and Manchester Science Park plus the generous participation of  bio companies and professionals from around  the region.

Events

Tissue Banking in the UK and Europe
Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust has initiated a project to set up a Central Manchester Tissue Bank, with access to both public and private sector research organisations. The NWDA is providing further support to explore a wider NW regional tissue bank initiative.  This symposium aims to bring together interested organisations in the North West and beyond to share experiences of setting up tissue banks, to understand industry requirements and the regulatory framework. An international panel of speakers will explore the issues involved in setting up individual tissue banks and the European tissue banking network. The event will take place on Tuesday 4 December at The Nowgen Centre, Manchester. To register visit www.nowgen.org.uk/events

UK Bio-Entrepreneur School
QED Consulting are pleased to announce that the second UK Bio-Entrepreneur School will take place at BioCity Nottingham from 26 to 28 February 2008 with sponsors including BBSRC, Nottingham Science City, Adamson Jones and PwC. For further information please visit www.bioentrepreneur.co.uk

Genomes to Systems 2008 Conference
Genomes to Systems 2008 offers an exciting 3-day programme of 15 academic sessions covering the full spectrum of post-genomic disciplines, bioinformatics and systems biology. The event boasts an exceptionally strong speaker list with plenary and session lectures by world leading scientists. For further information on the programme visit www.genomestosystems.org/scheme.html

North of England Excellence 2007 Open Course - Six Sigma Awareness Workshop
North of England Excellence are running a one day course which is designed to give delegates an overview of Six Sigma and is particularly relevant to anyone with identifying, evaluating and implementing change. Six Sigma is a systematic process for achieving enhanced performance. To reserve a place on this course, please email your requirements to events@northofexcellence.co.uk

Bionow (Merseyside) Network Evenings
Bionow are pleased to announce that from December there will be cluster network evenings held in both Manchester and Liverpool. If you are interested in attending the Liverpool event please contact Alison Sammin on 0845 07000 064 or visit www.uolevents.org/bionowdec2007, alternatively if you wish to attend the Manchester event, please contact Helen Williams on 01925 400345 or helen.williams@nwda.co.uk

Information

Technology Strategy Board (TSB) Autumn 2007 Competition for Funding opens 8 November - Cell Therapy
£1OM indicative funding has been allocated to fund highly innovative collaborative research proposals in cell therapy. Areas of interest include: bioprocess engineering systems for cell culture & scale up, culture media components, material & chemical technologies, tissue engineering. Applications are sought for collaborative R&D projects which will develop innovative cell based therpaies and improved methodologies eg industry orientated  basic research, applied R&D or experimental (technology validation) projects. For full details please see www.technologyprogramme.org.uk or Helpline: 01355 272155

Bioprocessing research funding for UK Universities
The UK Bioprocessing Research Industry Club (BRIC) has awarded £3.5m to researchers at seven universities through its second round of funding to help develop faster and more efficient biopharmaceutical manufacturing techniques. BRIC is a public-private collaboration between two UK research councils: the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and the UK biopharmaceutical community. The first round of BRIC funding supported nine projects at 10 universities with funds in excess of £5m.

EU sets up R&D funding programme for small firms
The European Commission has adopted a new programme to finance R&D partnerships with research-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Under the Eurostars programme, participating countries will pool their national programmes and research funding for SME's, the idea being to build up an integration process covering the scientific, management and financial aspects of the research projects. The Commission will contribute €100 million to the programme, while 22 EU members states and five countries associated with the EU's seventh framework programme (FP7) will jointly bring a further €300 million.

Manchester & NW Region Mentoring Scheme
Life science businesses in Manchester are set to receive a boost thanks to a new mentoring scheme. This is also expected to extend to the wider region shortly. BioStars offers mentoring and workshops on how to commercialise ideas, attract investors and grow a business. The EU-funded initiative is run by The University of Manchester Incubator Company, Business Support Solutions and Winning Pitch.

Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus celebrates 50 tenants
Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus has announced the arrival of its 50th tenant. Occupancy levels at the Campus are ahead of target and to mark this acheivement a 'neighbour-networking event'was held on Thursday 4 October, the event allowed businesses within the Campus to get to know each other and share ideas. John Leake, General Manager said "We are delighted to have reached the milestone of 50 hi-tech companies and look forward to supporting these businesses as they grow and develop - Biomed companies MDI, Auralis, LT3, and Bioeden are already residents.

Research

Manchester is set to become one of the UK's foremost centres for breast cancer research following funding worth almost 5 million
The charityBreakthrough Breast Cancer has announced it is to give The University of Manchester £4.7m over five years to fund a research unit to investigate the earliest stages of the disease. The Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit at The University of Manchester, due to open in 2008, is one of three being launched across England and Scotland. It will be part of theManchester Cancer Research Centre adjacent to the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research and the Christie Hospital. The unit will investigate the very earliest stages of breast cancer development to identify new ways to detect breast cancers and new targets for preventing a disease that affects 44,000 women and 300 men in the UK each year.

£5 million investment in personalised medicines to cut patients deaths
A £5m investment in the development of personalised medicines at the University of Liverpool will see the introduction of treatments tailored for individual patients. The University has been selected by the Department of Health to receive a £3mNHS Chair in Pharmacogenetics - the first and only such position in the country. A further £2m has been awarded to the University byThe Wolfson Foundation.

Bionic nerve to bring damaged limbs and organs back to life
University of Manchester researchers have transformed fat tissue stem cells into nerve cells - and now plan to develop an artificial nerve that will bring damaged limbs and organs back to life. In a study published in October's Experimental Neurology, Dr Paul Kingham and his team at the UK Centre for Tissue Regeneration (CKCTR) isolated the stem cells from the fat tissue of adult animals and differentiated them into nerve cells to be used for repair and regeneration of injured nerves. They are now about to start a trial extracting stem cells from fat tissue of volunteer patients, in order to compare in the laboratory human and animal stem cells.

Manchester Researchers identify gene behind Rheumatoid Arthritis
Universityof Manchester researchers have identified a genetic variant in a region on chromosome 6 that is associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the most common inflammatory arthritis affecting 387,000 people in the UK. Professor Jane Worthington and her team at the Arthritis Research Campaign Epidemiology Unit at the University investigated 9 genetic regions indentified earlier this year as potentially harbouring DNA variants determining susceptibility to Rheumatoid arthritis.

Gene may hold key to future cancer hope
Scientists may have discovered a new way of killing tumours in what they hope could one day lead to alternative forms of cancer treatments. The University of Manchester research has identified a key gene that appears to play a critical role in the normal process of cell division. Cells divide creating new cells as part of the body's natural growth, renewal and healing processes but cancer results when cells divide in a uncontrolled way. What the Manchester team, has discovered is that a protein in our cells called 'Bub 1' is essential for normal cell division to take place; if the gene that generates Bub 1 is switched off' then the cells are unable to divide successfully.

Datamonitor

The Biotech industry, Datamonitor aims to help Northwest firms stay one step ahead in the global marketplace.

UK biotech companies have reported mixed fortunes this month. The period began with Vernalis losing half of its value on the stock market after US regulators rejected its treatment for menstrual migraine, creating a significant cash problem for the group. Vernalis is now facing the prospect of having to cut some of its workforce to make up for this shortfall. Conversely Oxford BioMedica Plc, a maker of experimental cancer treatment TroVax, gained ground in trading after winning a US ruling in a patent infringement dispute.

Vernalis shares plunge on FDA rejection
Shares in UK biopharmaceutical company Vernalis have halved in value following the FDA's rejection of Frova for the prevention of menstrual migraine.
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Oxford BioMedica wins key ruling in patent dispute
Oxford BioMedica has received a favourable ruling in a US district court for the validity of its intellectual property which is licensed exclusively in the research field to Sigma-Aldrich.
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Amarin initiates cardiovascular development strategy
Amarin, a UK pharmaceutical company specializing in CNS disorders, is planning to expand its research into the area of cardiovascular treatments by capitalizing on the known therapeutic benefits of unsaturated fatty acids.
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Monoclonal antibody market growth set to outstrip small molecules
The monoclonal antibody market represents the fastest-growing segment within the pharmaceutical industry. This sector is expected to achieve a CAGR of 14% between 2006-2012, easily outstripping the 0.6% growth rate in the small molecules market. With key products forecast to record peak sales growth and the launch of new products in the next few years, this rapid expansion is set to continue.
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Website of the Month

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