Cancer companies at Babraham's Bioincubator win major awards for medical innovation

11th December 2008

Two companies based at the Babraham Research Campus Bioincubator, UroSens and Horizon Discovery have recently been recognised with prestigious Medical Futures Innovation Awards for innovation in cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Four companies were selected from hundreds of entries to receive awards in the cancer category, with Horizon Discovery winning the award for the best Drug Discovery Technology in the field of cancer. Recognising novelty, impact on patient care and viability, UroSens also received the overall prize for Cancer Innovation for its pioneering work developing a novel diagnostic test for bladder cancer. Horizon also carried off the ‘Best Business Proposition of the Year’ award selected from the twenty-six innovation award winners spread across the healthcare disciplines. These awards underscore the position of the Babraham Research Campus as a leading enterprise hub supporting biomedical innovation in the UK.

Companies based at the campus have access to the new Technology Development Laboratory (TDL) a fully equipped biology and chemistry laboratory, established to support innovation in biomedical fields and accelerate the translation of early-stage concepts and technologies into viable commercial propositions.

"We are delighted to hear of these awards, explained Derek Jones, interim CEO of Babraham Bioscience Technologies (BBT) Ltd. The aim of Babraham Research Campus and the TDL in particular is to help young innovative companies, such as UroSens and Horizon, to further develop their technologies into commercial opportunities. I hope these awards demonstrate the value of the TDL facility, and the flexibility we can offer. We are regularly reviewing how we can encourage a wider use of the TDL facilities and staff, and to facilitate bioscience innovation in our region. We hope that our facilities, enhanced with our new EEDA-funded bio-processing equipment, will enable more companies to be helped".

Bladder cancer is a common disease usually occurring over the age of 50 and affecting twice as many men as woman. About 11,000 new cases are diagnosed every year in the UK by cystoscopy, which involves passing a fibre optic tube through the urethra to examine the bladder lining.

The new innovation from UroSens gets around this intrusive and unpleasant procedure, by making use of a protein that is a signature of many cancerous cells. This novel urine test for bladder cancer is based on a protein called Mcm5 that is essential for cell division. Mcm5 is produced in cells that are uncontrollably replicating, for example in cancer. In bladder cancer, Mcm-containing cells are shed from the tumour surface into the urine. UroSens’ test analyses the cells collected from urine for Mcm5; healthy patients’ urine contains extremely low levels of the protein compared with the higher levels detected in patients with bladder cancer.

“The commonest sign of bladder cancer is blood in the urine,” says Dr Nick Miller-Jones, CEO of UroSens, “but only a small percentage of people who have this symptom will actually have a cancer. Our device, which detects the presence of the protein Mcm5 in a simple urine sample, should identify those patients without cancer, thus sparing them invasive cystoscopy and associated procedures such as CT scanning.”

"Our new test has a number of advantages. The number of cystoscopies that patients currently endure will be greatly reduced. In addition to freeing up clinicians’ time the test could save the NHS millions of pounds because it is significantly less costly than current procedures”.

One of the UK’s most sought after healthcare and business accolades, rewarding ground-breaking innovation from front-line clinicians and scientists, the awards cover several therapy areas including; Cancer; Cardiovascular Disease; Dentistry; Ophthalmology; and Orthopaedics. A unique element of these Awards is the unparalleled peer review and credibility that is brought to exciting early stage innovation and technologies. They are judged by a panel of the most distinguished doctors and business leaders in the country; experts such as Nobel Laureate, Sir James Black OM; Sir Bruce Keogh, Medical Director for the NHS; Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director at the Department of Health, and Sir Christopher O’Donnell, come together as Europe’s leading think-tank on healthcare innovation.

 Contact details:

Dr Claire Cockcroft,
Head, External Relations                                    Tel: +44 (0)1223 496260
Babraham Institute                                             Fax: +44 (0)1223 496002
Email: claire.cockcroft@babraham.ac.uk

Mr Derek Jones
Interim Chief Executive Officer                             Tel: +44 (0)1223 496262
Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd               Fax: +44 (0)1223 496020
Email: derek.jones@babraham.co.uk

Dr Nick Miller-Jones
CEO UroSens
Email: millerjones@urosens.com

Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director at the Department of Health, presenting UroSens Ltd with the overall winner award in the cancer category of the Medical Futures Innovation Awards 2008.

Left to right: actress and Trustee of the charity Children with Leukaemia Linda Robson, Professor Gareth Williams and Dr Kai Stoeber, UCL (UroSens Scientific Advisers), Lawrence Fenelon, (UroSens Finance Director), Dr Nick Miller-Jones, (UroSens Chief Executive), Professor Mike Richards and Dr David Gillen.

Notes for Editors

Babraham Bioscience Technologies (BBT) Ltd is the wholly owned subsidiary and trading arm of the Babraham Institute. Coalescing scientific, technological and commercial excellence, BBT delivers the Knowledge Transfer remit of the Institute through the wider landscape of the Babraham Research Campus, catalysing opportunities for enterprise across the academic and commercial divide. BBT brings together all the elements to support innovation and enable the successful exploitation of research in the biomedical sector based on technologies emanating from the Babraham Institute and bioventures relocating to the Babraham Research Campus. Website: www.babraham.com

The Babraham Research Campus is the UK’s leading knowledge-driven Biomedical Park where world-class research, business know-how and entrepreneurial excellence come together to stimulate effective knowledge transfer and bridge the academic and commercial divide. The campus provides a unique and highly successful environment that actively fosters innovation and plays a pivotal role for biomedical start-up companies in the Cambridge region and with delivering innovation at the frontiers of biomedical research. BBT has taken a prominent role regionally, initiating and leading partnerships to promote knowledge and skills flow and has established a reputation for successfully translating innovative science into viable business opportunities through partnerships for wealth creation. This is stimulating inward investment to the campus and contributing to regional development.

The Babraham Institute is a charitable organisation devoted to biomedical research and is an institute of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The Institute’s research is focused on understanding the biological events that underlie the normal functions of cells and on how their failure or abnormality may lead to disease. As such, Institute scientists are striving to find cures for conditions where there is currently no treatment or where the existing treatment is not fully effective or causes serious side effects. The latest technologies are being used to study the basis of conditions such as neurodegenerative disorders, birth defects, cancer and diseases of the immune and cardiovascular systems. With a strategic focus on ‘healthy ageing’, novel approaches for tackling chronic diseases and public health concerns like obesity are being discovered. The Institute’s innovative research is commercialised through Babraham Bioscience Technologies (BBT) Ltd, which also manages Babraham’s vibrant Bioincubator on the Babraham Research Campus, six miles south-east of Cambridge.  Website: www.babraham.ac.uk

The Medical Futures Innovation Awards are a unique UK based Awards process that helps healthcare professionals and academics turn their ideas into tangible solutions that can improve patient care. The Awards, run by a team of doctors, businessmen and media and communication experts, are part of a wider offering that includes educational and networking events between industry and the medical profession and in 2008, over 1000 ideas have been submitted via the website www.medicalfutures.co.uk

By entering the Medical Futures Awards process, front line clinicians and academics have the chance to pitch their ideas in a Dragon’s Den style to a world-class panel of experts including Sir Bruce Keogh, Medical Director for the NHS; Baroness Susan Greenfield, Director of the Royal Institution; and Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director at the Department of Health. The Judges select winners based on three principle criteria: novelty; impact on patient care and its viability, whether that is clinical, technical or commercial. As well as the critical recognition and endorsement of a Medical Futures Innovation Award, winners receive a bespoke package of support to turn ideas into viable propositions that have credibility with investors. This may include assistance in articulating their idea; securing funding; and introductions to professional and commercial contacts vital in taking their idea to the next level.

The 2008 Awards ceremony took place on 2nd December and consisted of an exhibition held during the day and an evening awards ceremony. During the day winners can showcase their idea, network, and participate in press interviews. The overall winners in each category are presented with their award during the evening ceremony, which includes a guest list of over 800 including celebrities, business leaders and key medical and scientific opinion leaders.

Further information about the Medical Futures Innovation Awards is available from Roseann Ward or Tola Awogbamiye on +44(0)844 8700056. www.medicalfutures.co.uk.