New Investment In Babraham To Spark Life-Saving Drug Discovery

22nd May 2008

New investment was announced for a world-leading research laboratory in Cambridgeshire that will, for the first time, give developers access to a state-of-the-art suite of 'drop-in' laboratory facilities helping them to create and bring life-saving drugs to the market.

The new and much-needed bio-pharmaceutical services will be housed at the Babraham Research Campus in Cambridgeshire, and will be funded by a £300,000 grant from the East of England Development Agency's (EEDA) pilot innovative capital equipment competition.

Pat McFadden MP, Minister at the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (DBERR) today announced the award to Babraham, who will use the funding to expand its Technology Development Laboratory (TDL). The new investment will significantly enhance the TDL's offering, providing a one-stop-shop for early-stage ventures in the drug discovery sector to road test their ideas, and reduce the need to out-source

Pat McFadden MP highlighted the importance of these new bio-pharmaceutical facilities during his visit to the region on Monday (19th May). He said: "The message from the recent white paper, Innovation Nation, was clear - nurturing innovation is vitally important to ensure the future prosperity of the UK's economy. It's clear that bioscience, and in particular early-stage drug discovery, is a key industry in terms of the East of England's economy, and the potential social benefits of developing life-saving drugs can not be overstated. I'm delighted to see that EEDA are helping Babraham to provide these world-class facilities to this region's budding bio-pharmaceutical businesses, helping them to accelerate their research and development."

The TDL already offers cost-effective services with fully fitted biology and chemistry facilities. On-site laboratory experts will provide support and skills training to those using the cutting-edge equipment - such as micro-array spotters and cell culture fermenters, which might be used for DNA analysis, protein production or antibody development.

The pilot capital equipment competition was launched by EEDA back in February. Babraham are one of three regional centres who were successful in scooping a share of nearly £1 million (£891,200). Richard Ellis, EEDA chair, said: "Bioscience is one of the fastest growing sectors of the East of England's economy which is bringing international recognition and investment to the region. At EEDA, we understand the importance of funding those who are just beginning to succeed in their chosen industry which is why this competition is so important. It really enabled us to select focal points across the region where we could invest in the 'infrastructure' that ambitious, early-stage bioscience companies need to take them to the next level, and move their concepts closer to market success."

David Hardman, chief executive of Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd (BBT) explains that the new and improved TDL will be an integral part of the Enterprise Hub's overall offering: "EEDA's funding is going to be absolutely critical in enhancing the flexibility of Babraham's Technology Development Laboratory (TDL), allowing us to cater for needs of growing biotech businesses in the region. Whether that's giving a company direct access to sophisticated laboratories and equipment, or providing a TDL scientist to carry out development work on their behalf, businesses in this region can tap-in to a wealth of facilities, without having to tie-up their early-stage capital in out-sourcing. We will continue to re-invest the revenue from developers using the new facilities back into the laboratories, further enhancing the offer, and maintaining Babraham's status as a world-leading research-base."

Through Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd and the Babraham Research Campus, 52 companies have been supported, and technologies developed at the laboratory have laid the foundations for 3 new biotech businesses. To find out more about the services at Babraham, visit www.babraham.com

Contact details:

Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd
Contact by email
Tel: +44 (0)1223 496269
Fax: +44 (0)1223 496020

Nicola Kinsey,
Commercial Liaison Manager, Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)1223 496334
Fax: +44 (0)1223 496020
Email: Contact by email

Dr Claire Cockcroft,
Head, External Relations,Babraham Institute
Tel: +44 (0)1223 496260
Fax: +44 (0)1223 496002
Email: Contact by email

Notes for Editors

Babraham Bioscience Technologies 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.

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. Building on the success of the incubator model, BBT established a new venture, Aitua Ltd, formerly 'Babraham BioConcepts Ltd'. Aitua works closely with innovators to create and nurture emerging companies from world-class science and technology deriving mainly from the Babraham Institute or locating to the Babraham Research Campus. It will provide seed and early round funding, inject specific expertise and provide access to facilities to companies. BBT’s activities support wider investment in the life sciences to generate and sustain growth of the region’s healthcare economy. Website: www.babraham.com

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

About EEDA

The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is the driving force behind sustainable economic regeneration in the East of England: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. EEDA's vision is for the East of England to be an ideas driven region that is internationally competitive, harnesses the talent of all and is at the forefront of the low carbon economy. For further information http://www.eeda.org.uk