THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM EDINBURGH BIOQUARTER ISSUE 06 AUTUMN 2012
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FULL SPEED AHEAD! The last three months have been our busiest yet. Since our last newsletter, we’ve added another new company – Aquila BioMedical – to the growing list of BioQuarter spin-outs and announced a new collaboration in fibrosis with Galecto Biotechnology of Sweden. We’ve also welcomed four new tenants to Nine the BioQuarter, and held our first conference on overcoming barriers to commercialisation in regenerative medicine. This one-day event saw 100 industry executives and academic researchers coming together to discuss how to overcome challenges associated with the development of commercially viable therapeutic products in the field of regenerative medicine. We also recently welcomed Sir William Castell as the keynote speaker at our first quarterly networking meeting, held in Nine the BioQuarter. Over the next three months we’re looking forward to the launch of another company and to announcing more collaborations. As ever, you can find out more about what’s happening at BioQuarter by following us on Twitter @EdinburghBQ, or logging on to our website at www.bioquarter.com
Mike Capaldi Commercialisation Director, Edinburgh BioQuarter
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Clare Doris, Chief Operating Officer at Aquila BioMedical, said: “Aquila has been granted an exclusive licence from the University of Edinburgh to a platform of drug testing technologies for multiple sclerosis and autoimmune
“We will continue to develop new services to offer clients access to academic models not readily available from CROs or other industry partners.” Clare Doris, Chief Operating Officer
Exploring the mysteries of neuron cells
AQUILA BIOMEDICAL A new contract research organisation
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arlier this month we announced the launch of Aquila BioMedical, a specialised contract research organisation that provides novel technologies developed at the University of Edinburgh to the pharmaceutical industry for drug discovery and development.
Aquila BioMedical offers services across four therapeutic areas: multiple sclerosis, immunology, inflammation and analgesia. Combining academic excellence with access to innovative technologies delivered under industrial conditions, Aquila provides clients with high-value data to enable decisions on new compounds earlier in the development process.
diseases based on the pioneering work of Professor Stephen Anderton. We will continue to develop new services to offer clients access to academic models not readily available from CROs or other industry partners.” Aquila has recently welcomed Dr Alison Templeton as its first NonExecutive Director. Dr Templeton has long experience in setting up highly successful service offerings in this sector and will be a great advisor as the company grows, according to Dr Howard Marriage, Chairman of the new company. “Over the next year, we plan to further strengthen the board with experience in strategic sales, corporate development and financing. We have also recently expanded our shareholder base with both the University of Edinburgh and the Wellcome Trust joining the investor panel.”
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THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM EDINBURGH BIOQUARTER ISSUE 06 AUTUMN 2012
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to deposition of collagen and the formation of excessive fibrous tissue. It is a factor in a wide variety of illnesses, including cancer, inflammation, heart disease and stroke. Project leaders at the University of Edinburgh are Dr Alison Mackinnon and Dr Neil Henderson, and researchers at
“This is the third significant collaboration negotiated by the team in less than twelve months with an international biotechnology company.”
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inhibitors as a treatment for fibrosis. Galectin-3 inhibitors may restrict the chronic inflammation which characterises fibrosis. Fibrosis is a disease of the connective tissue which results from the inappropriate repair and scarring of connective tissue. Fibrosis can occur in a wide variety of organ sites and is due
BioQuarter launches its 2013 Innovation Competition on November 5th with new sponsors - and we’re aiming to make our third year the biggest yet in terms of new highquality submissions. “Over the last two years we’ve had 100 entries to this competition and awarded more than £60,000 in prize money”, said James Wood, Head of Marketing and Communications at BioQuarter. “We want to make 2013 our best year yet for the number of entries and, importantly, the quality of those entries.” To find out more, please go to www.bqinnovation.com
Dr Diane Harbison, Head of Business Development
ast week we announced a collaboration between scientists working at the University of Edinburgh’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine and Galecto Biotech of Sweden, a spin-out from the University of Lund. This new collaborative agreement will develop a series of novel Galectin-3
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2013 INNOVATION COMPETITION KICKS OFF!
COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH GALECTO BIOTECH AB OF SWEDEN
Galectin-3 inhibitors may restrict the the chronic inflammation that characterises fibrosis
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Kings’ College London will also be involved in the development of these treatments. Dr Diane Harbison, Head of Business Development at Edinburgh BioQuarter, said: “This is the third significant collaboration negotiated by the team in less than twelve months with an international biotechnology company. The fact that each has been in a different therapeutic area underlines the strength and breadth of research at the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian.”
A WELLCOME OPPORTUNITY Sir William Castell, Chair of the Wellcome Trust and former CEO of Amersham International, was our keynote speaker at the first BioQuarter networking event, with more than 100 life sciences industry professionals in attendance. James Wood, Head of Marketing and Communications at BioQuarter, said: “These events are open to anyone in the life sciences industry – we want BioQuarter to be as much a place for people to meet and share ideas as it is a place to do business.” You can find out about future networking events by checking our News feed on the website. Find out about future networking events: www.bioquarter.com
W: WWW.BIOQUARTER.COM T: 0131 242 9249 E: JAMES.WOOD@BIOQUARTER.COM