Bionow

January Bionow Newsletter

31 January 2012

Bionow News

We are delighted that Mary Roberts will join the Bionow team as Membership Manager from January 2012. Mary was previously a business adviser to the sector working for Business Link NW. Her appointment to the team is key and by bringing her skills and experience together with Bionow’s focus on adding significant value to our Members we can assist them to access the value, information, finance and expertise they need to make them more competitive.

News

Biotech spin-out secures £1.75m investment
Medical technology spin-out company Ai2 has received a £1.75m joint investment to continue the development of its cutting-edge technology. The business, which span out of the University of Manchester, has secured £950,000 from MTI and £800,000 from the North West Fund for Biomedical. Ai2 has developed proprietary human protein-like substances which safely and cost-effectively inhibit bacteria, fungi and viruses. The products have the potential to be used to prevent infection on a wide range of commonly used medical devices.

AMS set to buy German company Resorba
Winsford-headquartered medical technology company Advanced Medical Solutions Group is to buy German rival Resorba for £55m in cash. The company's board said that the deal fulfils its 'strategic acquisition criteria' as it broadens its technology portfolio in both wound care and wound closure; provide direct sales capability into Germany, Czech Republic and Russia; and further cross-selling potential.

Sinclair IS Pharma in £21m US deal
Pharmaceutical company Sinclair IS Pharma has agreed to buy US dermatological products company Advanced Bio-Technologies (ABT) for £21m in cash and stock. The deal gives Sinclair ownership of ABT's flagship scar prevention and treatment product Kelo-cote in more markets outside the US, mainly Brazil, Korea and China. Sinclair IS Pharma previosuly held the rights in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Incanthera awarded £375,000
Incanthera has been awarded £375,000 from the North West Fund for Biomedical for investment in new cancer treatments. The University of Bradford spin-out company has relocated to Liverpool and will use the funding to complete several pre-trial clinical studies and begin clinical trials by the end of 2012.

Arcis completes second round of fundraising
Warrington-based Arcis Biotechnology has completed a second round of fundraising as it seeks to commercialise its technology. Corporate finance adviser Zeus Capital advised the company on the funding round from existing shareholders and a new network of private investors. Arcis produces a suite of environmentally-compatible cleaning and germ-killing products for a diverse range of markets and applications. It is already in discussions with 'several global companies' which are said to be keen to utilise its proprietary technology.

Biomedical fund completes two deals
ESP Technology in Daresbury and Wirral-based Westco Medical have received £50,000 pathfinder loans to further develop their technologies. ESP Technology sought investment to undertake further development work on its novel polymer coating designed to improve the lifespan of artificial blood vessels when used for haemodialysis. Westco Medical secured the funding for its NG-PoD device which aids in the positioning of nasogastric feeding tubes.

Investment boost for DNA testing provider
Alpha Biolaboratories, a provider of drug, alcohol and DNA testing services, has invested £75,000 in new technology after securing funding from Lombard, the asset finance arm of Natwest. The Warrington-headquartered company has purchased a TSQ Quantum testing machine, a piece of kit which is used to provide hair alcohol tests. Hair alcohol testing is used to detect long term patterns of alcohol consumption.

Reproductive Sciences raises £600,000
Warrington-based fertility research company Reproductive Sciences has completed a £600,000 fundraising exercise. The funds, which have been raised through a rights issue, will provide the company with additional working capital to complete extensive clinical trials and take advantage of further opportunities for growth. Reproductive Sciences was formed in 2007 and develops medical devices designed to improve the success rate of fertility treatments.

Recruitment

Job posting free of charge to Bionow Members
All Bionow Members and Premium Members can post current job opportunities onto the Bionow website and within the monthly newsletter free of charge. For further information please contact Helen Williams on 07714 168020 or email helen.williams@bionow.co.uk

SRG - Bionow Preferred Recruitment Provider
SRG is the UK's leading supplier of scientific, clinical, quality, regulatory, technical and engineering staffing solutions to the broad based science community. Having pioneered the scientific contract market in 1990, SRG has expanded its offering from providing traditional contract and permanent recruitment services through to bespoke out-sourced resource solutions. For further information and to view the latest vacancies please contact the SRG team on 0161 868 2200 or email Mark Bustos at Mark.Bustos@srg.co.uk.

RedX Pharma - Current Opportunities
RedX Pharma are a well funded, high growth oncology drug development company looking to recruit a team of top-flight Medicinal Chemists, Analytical Chemists and Pharmacology Scientists from Associate through to Group Leader. For further information on these vacancies, please click here.

PHF Life Sciences
PHF LIfe Sciences is a specialist division of Pharmfinders Ltd, one of the UK's leading Retail, Healthcare and Life Science recruiters. They provide both search and selection and contingent recruitment solutions to the UK and International life science community. For details of the latest vacancies, please click here or contact Andy Cuthbert on 01925 859644 or email andy@phfrecruitment.co.uk.

People

Dr John Stageman awarded an OBE in the 2012 New Years honours list
John received the honour for services to the UK Biotechnology Industry. He is currently Chairman of Bionow Ltd, a member of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, a Board member of NWDA, Chairman of the HealthTech and Medicines Knowledge Transfer Network for the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and an Honorary Professor in Life Sciences at the University of Manchester. Upon receiving the news John commented "I’m absolutely thrilled to be recognised by this special award in the New Years Honours. The last 30 years has seen a seismic revolution in molecular biology and I have had the immense privilege of being at the "R&D" heart of its industrial application".

Science Foundation Ireland appoints Professor Mark Ferguson as New Director General
The Board of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has appointed Professor Mark Ferguson as Director General of the organisation. Professor Ferguson, a native of Northern Ireland, will take up the position on January 16th 2012. The appointment is for a five-year term. A leading academic for thirty years, Professor Ferguson is also a co-founder of Renovo, a biotechnology company developing novel pharmaceutical therapies to prevent scarring and accelerate wound healing.

Distinguished Graduate Award - Dr Sharon O'Kane
This year’s First Trust Bank/University of Ulster Distinguished Graduate Award has been awarded to Dr Sharon O’Kane. The award is made each year to an alumnus/alumna of the University ‘in recognition of outstanding achievement in their chosen field’. Sharon currently holds a portfolio of Non-Executive Director / Advisory positions including being Non-Executive Director at TPP Global Development; is Entrepreneur in Residence and Chair of the Drug Discovery Advisory Board at the University of Manchester Intellectual Property company; and is Non-Executive Director of MIDAS.

Events

Applied Metabolomics Workshop - Wednesday 1st February Location: Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester
The workshop will centre around the breadth of scientific challenges that can be interrogated via Applied Metabolomics and the current approaches (instrumentation, software and workflows - with appropriate selection to meet specific needs) to address such challenges. The event is jointly hosted by Agilent Technologies and the Centre of Excellence in Biopharmaceuticals (COEBP). Further information and draft agenda can be found here.

Powerful Persuasion - Wednesday 29th February
Location: The Breeze, Birchwood, Warrington
How often do you have to influence or persuade someone else? Are you a professional in a scientific or technical industry? How often do you have to influence or persuade someone else? In this interactive session we will explore theories of influence and persuasion and discover how we can influence people ethically, so that we can achieve more in both our professional and personal lives. For further information and to register click here.

Bench-to-Boardroom 2012 - Tuesday 6th March
Location: Newmarket Racecourse
This one day event includes a major exhibition, leading industry speakers, workshops and technology showcases. The event will provide communication, education and networking opportunities for scientists engaged in drug discovery whether in academia or the life science industry. The event typically attracts over 500 visitors where delegates attend to meet suppliers with the best technology as well as to network with one another. Click here to register as a delegate or exhibitor.

BioTrinity 2012 - Tuesday 24th - Thursday 26th April
Location: Newbury Racecourse
BioTrinity is the premier European Biopartnering and Investment Conference, where great minds and smart money meet under one roof. BioTrinity partners R&D companies and big pharma with more biomedical investors than any other European partnering conference. For more information visit the BioTrinity website. Bionow Members and Premium Members receive £150 discount off current BioTrinity delegate rates. Offer is valid until 23rd March 2012. Please contact Bionow for the relevant discount code.

Writing for Impact - Tuesday 15th May
Location: The Breeze, Birchwood, Warrington
Reduce the costs and time of writing and editing reports, proposals, emails. Make writing easier and more enjoyable, eliminate costly misunderstandings and reduce queries and clarifications from readers. The course will enable you to Identify the purpose and the readers of any written commincation, learn whole brain techniques for planning your writing, create structures that transmit key information clearly to the reader and understand the power of language and choose words for impact and clarity. For further information and to register click here.

For further information on Bionow Membership and the benefits to your organisation, please click here.