Spin-out Companies
The School has had an outstanding record in the formation of successful spinout companies for over the last 20 years. Pharmaceutical Profiles Ltd and Danbiosyst Ltd were both highly successful spinout from the School in the 1990s. The creation of spin-out companies has been a successful mechanism for the commercialisation of novel technologies developed in the School of Pharmacy.
What is a spin-out company?
A spin-out company is a project which starts life within the university and then progresses to become an independent business in its own right. Spin-out companies transform intellectual property, technology or expertise into new products or services which have genuine commercial value.
The School's current portfolio of spin-out companies includes:
Molecular Profiles Ltd (spun out in 1998)
Molecular Profiles [www.molprofiles.com] is a contract research company offering world-class expertise in pharmaceutical analysis and formed by Martyn Davies, Clive Roberts, Saul Tendler and Phil Williams as a spin-out of the LBSA Division. Through a unique combination of surface science technology and close client relationships it meets many outsourcing needs including: research & analysis partnerships, problem-solving through contract analysis, and patent protection & litigation support. The company specialises in the sectors of pharmaceuticals, biomedical, polymers, biotechnology & biopharmaceuticals and chemicals. Winner of The Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation, 2007.
RegenTec Ltd (2001)
RegenTec [www.regentec.net] operates in the emerging field of tissue engineering and was formed by Kevin Shakesheff of the DDTE Division to exploit his pioneering academic work. The company's main objective is to develop and market its expanding intellectual property portfolio with selected partners. It also undertakes technology development research and short-term contract studies for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Critical Pharmaceuticals Ltd (2002)
Critical Pharmaceuticals [www.criticalpharmaceuticals.com] is a company working on the development, licensing and manufacture of novel drug delivery devices required by the biotechnology sector to address a wide range of diseases. The company was formed by Steve Howdle (School of Chemistry) and Kevin Shakesheff of the DDTE Division and has grown out of research into the effective delivery of proteins and biopharmaceuticals. The key breakthrough was the ability to retain the activity of these very delicate medicines, to incorporate them into polymers and to deliver them effectively to the patient.
Cellaura Technologies Ltd (2003)
Cellaura [www.cellaura.com] is a drug discovery company which has developed fluorescent molecule-based technology for the pharmaceutical market. Combining expertise in synthetic medicinal chemistry (Barrie Kellam of the MCSB Division), pharmacology (Steve Hill of Biomolecular Science) and photochemistry (Mike George from Chemistry), the company provides both fluorescent detection technologies for single cell level drug testing, off-the-shelf fluorescent compounds for use in drug discovery, and a customised synthesis service.
eminate (2006)
eminate [www.eminate.co.uk] is a DTI-funded ground-breaking initiative of which Clive Roberts of the LBSA is a co-founder and member of the Board to provide open access for industry to a suite of state-of-the-art fabrication and characterisation equipment based at BioCity Nottingham. eminate [www.eminate.co.uk] will focus on the growth, synthesis and evaluation of nano-structured materials. It will target the needs of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare industries for short-term, applications-oriented development and assessment of nanotechnology approaches to improving products and processes.
Sherwood Therapeutics (2007)
Sherwood Therapeutics [www.sherwoodtherapeutics.com] is a spin out of David Pritchard's Immune Modulation Group of the MCS Division which focuses on the development of novel wound care technologies for chronic, non-healing wounds that may often persist for months or even years. Such wounds may be caused by infection, burns, pressure sores or underlying pathologies, such as diabetes or circulatory problems.