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Since 2000 we have created four new
companies based on the technology created at the Rowett Institute.
The increased effort and emphasis on helping new companies to form
reflects a continuing programme to help promote the economic benefit,
particularly for Scotland, from the work undertaken at the Rowett
and to assisting the transition of research to the market place.
Many of the companies have benefited from early stage finance from
us to help secure external investment. Our commitment to this route
for commercial development continues as demonstrated by our involvement
since 2004 in the Genomia Seed Fund, an OST and European backed
early stage seed fund.
The Companies :
Provexis plc (www.provexis.com)
is a specialist developer of functional ingredients based on natural
products for the food and nutraceutical industries. Formed initially
in 2000 as Nutrition Enhancement Limited, a joint venture between
Angle Technologies plc (www.angletechnology.com)
and Rowett, the company took its present name in 2003. It specialises
in products for applications to heart, gut and inflammatory health.
Investment from the Rising Stars Growth Fund (www.rsgf.co.uk)
and North West Equity Fund (www.nwef.co.uk)
has enabled Provexis to fully develop its lead product and it obtained
a public listing on the AIM market in June 2005. The company’s
lead product Fruitflow™, is a plant extract demonstrated to
have heart healthy anti platelet aggregation properties. Following
extensive evaluation in humans the first commercial product containing
Fruitflow™, a fruit based drink SIRCO™ went on general
sale via supermarkets and specialist outlets in February 2006. The
company believes in a robust scientific approach to all its products
and SIRCO™ has been supported by a dedicated website (www.sircoheart.com).
Further products are in development.
PyrroNostics Lmited was created in 2003 and is a developer of novel
diagnostic tools for the early detection of chronic disease. The
company was formed jointly between Rowett and Immunodiagnostic Systems
plc (www.idsltd.com)
a leading manufacturer and distributor of diagnostic kits based
at Newcastle–upon-Tyne. The company is centred on a discovery
by Dr Simon Robins (S.Robins@rowett.ac.uk)
that one of the results of cellular breakdown is the production
of pyrrole based compounds and that individual structures of pyrroles
are often linked biomarkers for specific chronic disorders and that
their presence in blood and urine can precede observable clinicaI
symptoms. Utilising its seed funding and a Scottish Executive SMART
award PyrroNostics is currently working towards proof of principal
in a number of disorders.
NovaBiotics Limited (www.novabiotics.co.uk)
was formed in 2004 and has taken nature as a model to develop novel
antimicrobials for conditions where there are no effective, safe
or resistance free treatments. Their first lead product is a topical
anti fungal for nail fungus and is based upon a discovery made by
immunologist, Dr Deborah O’Neil who is now Chief Scientific
Officer for NovaBiotics as a result of work on the body’s
mechanisms for fighting infection. The company has recently strengthened
its management team which now includes Mr John Pool and with support
from a number of investors including Scottish Enterprise Business
Growth Fund (www.scottish-enterprise.com)
the company is currently progressing preclinical and clinical development
of its lead polypeptide product whilst undertaking work to strengthen
its future pipeline.
Antoxis
Limited (www.antoxis.com)
was formed in 2006 and is developing novel products through an informed
approach to target and destroy free radicals produced in excessive
amounts in a number of neuro degenerative diseases. The company
originates from research undertaken by Donald McPhail, now Chief
Scientific Officer and Professor
Garry Duthie and takes nature as a model for improving antioxidant
performance for therapeutic applications. Precompany development
has been supported amongst other by Scottish Enterprise (www.scottish-enterprise.com)
and RSE (Royal Society
of Edinburgh). With funding support from Genomia Seed Fund (www.genomia.org.uk)
Antoxis is currently progressing its first lead compound, targeted
for stroke, through preclinical development whilst strengthening
its future pipeline.
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