February News Roundup
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University of Liverpool spin-out partners with dermatology biotech company
Galytx Ltd, a ground-breaking biotech company,?launched in June 2024, focuses on the development of galectin-3 targeted therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, cancer, and fibrosis. Galytx has signed a license agreement with Quodria Ltd for their exclusive rights to use Galytx’s novel galectin-3 inhibitors to develop a topical therapy, Q001, for AD. Collaboratively researchers aim to create effective relief treatment while minimising the side effects commonly associated with current medications.
Member in the Spotlight: The University of Manchester – Advancing Life Sciences with Innovation
The University of Manchester is a global leader in life sciences, pioneering breakthroughs with cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary expertise, and state-of-the-art technology.
Insights from the BioInfect Conference: Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance with Innovation and Collaboration
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) remains one of the biggest global health threats, and the recent BioInfect Conference shed light on the latest advancements and challenges in the fight against drug-resistant infections. With a strong presence of industry leaders, researchers, and biotech innovators, the conference emphasized the urgency of shifting towards precision medicine, fostering collaboration, and securing sustainable funding for AMR solutions.
ITS is awarded a multi-million pound contract for a medical device packaging facility
Terumo Aortic, a global medical device company, dedicated to developing solutions for aortic and peripheral vascular disease is investing in a new ‘Final Pack’ facility for its impressive Glasgow facility. The Renfrewshire-based site is responsible for the manufacture of vascular products that are used worldwide by surgeons and interventional radiologists to treat patients with aortic disease.
Industrial Technology Systems Ltd (ITS), a leading automation systems integrator in the life sciences sector, has been awarded a multi-million pound contract to design, build, install and validate a number of packaging lines for the new packaging facility, to increase productivity, efficiency and traceability, improve product quality and meet the Medical Device Regulations (MDR).
Cresset releases Flare? V10, the latest update to its agile ligand and structure-based drug design platform, featuring significant scientific enhancements for computational and medicinal chemists
The latest release includes significantly enhanced Free Energy Perturbation (FEP) calculations with the inclusion of Absolute FEP, Protein-protein docking, and Protein-Ligand Interaction Fingerprints (PLIF).
Flare V10 now ?includes Absolute Free Energy Perturbation Calculations, allowing precise predictions of ligand binding affinities without requiring structurally related molecules. Flare’s Absolute FEP implementation leverages the SOMD1?engine for fast, GPU-accelerated calculations.
Manchester’s billion-pound moment?
There’s a tangible buzz around Manchester in 2025. With Andy Burnham backing Old Trafford’s redevelopment, a diverse, thriving industry base, and a growing narrative of venture capital waiting to be deployed, the city feels primed for its next leap forward.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Manchester’s health and life sciences sector, where world-class universities are consistently spinning out IP-rich businesses. Yet, while the city is making strides, it still has work to do in positioning itself alongside the so-called Golden Triangle as a true magnet for investment.
At one of Insider’s latest roundtables, sponsored by the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, investment professionals, property experts, and spin-out CEOs (including Bionow's very own director of Business Development, Stella James)?discussed what’s working, what’s missing, and what makes Manchester’s innovation economy unique.
The PR Challenge of a Slow Moving Health Crisis
Some of today’s most powerful marketing campaigns educate, fundraise, and lobby?for support in the fight against life-threatening health conditions. Yet there remains a huge void?when it comes to the world’s biggest – but still largely overlooked - risk to our lives: antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
In a fascinating discussion, Gabriella Elia?and Chris Hulme?explore the communication challenges of AMR with BioInfect attendees Professor Janet Hemingway, founder of iiCON;? Dr Neil Murray, CEO of Renewvax and Ava Knowles, student at Liverpool’s Life Science UTC.
With special thanks to Bionow for supporting this podcast.
FemHealth Focus: Investment opportunities
At the end of last year, in Manchester, Mills & Reeve hosted a roundtable focused on investment, and how the city and the wider North West is championing women’s health businesses through funding, partnerships and support.
Whilst the outlook might seem gloomy, part one of the series outlines the key discussions of that afternoon and focuses on the opportunities and barriers to financial investment.
The report features contributions from Bionow's Exec Director of Business Development, Stella James!
New free online course on troubleshooting in liquid chromatography now available
A new online course on Troubleshooting in Liquid Chromatography is now open for registration, offering participants the opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge in this essential area of laboratory practice. The course is completely free and designed to provide systematic and comprehensive training over seven weeks.
Investing in Innovation: Unlocking the potential of tomorrow
Dr Catherine Headley highlights how The University of Manchester Innovation Factory transforms research into real-world impact, driving progress through spinouts, collaborations, and investments in healthcare, sustainability, and technology.
University of Liverpool Enterprise - a year marked by success
The?University of Liverpool’s Enterprise Team?has released its?2023-2024 Annual Report, highlighting remarkable progress in supporting the commercialisation of research.
The University is committed to driving the transfer of technology generated from its innovative research, investing in academic founders to establish spin-out companies and license novel technologies that create global impact.
Newcastle University Careers Service has funding available to North East-based businesses to subsidise graduate level internships
Newcastle University Careers Service has funding available to North-East based businesses to subsidise graduate level internships. NCL Internships are designed to offer a cost effective, flexible solution to business needs, bringing a fresh perspective that will have measurable benefits to your organisation.?
NCL Internships run from 50-400 hours and the team can facilitate the internship, handling all administration, and provide a recruitment service to ensure you find the right candidate.???
CareLoop secures ￡1.8m funding to provide preventative care
CareLoop, a digital therapeutic platform and University of Manchester spinout that focuses on tackling severe mental illness, has closed a ￡1.8m funding round from the GMC Life Sciences Fund By Praetura, NPIF II – Praetura Equity Finance (which is managed by Praetura Ventures as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund), Verge and SFC Capital.
New TOC monitor designed for reliable, simple compliance
“The AMI-II LineTOC instruments have been developed to meet a number of important customer needs,” explains Swan’s Russell Culver (New Pharma Business Development Manager at Swan Analytical). “First and foremost, the monitor enables Pharmacopoeia compliance whilst supporting FDA 21 CFR Part 11, providing a compliant audit trail. However, the instrument is simple to operate, requiring minimal training, even for validation and calibration. Combine this with long-term reliability, durability and the AMI-II LineTOC lowers not just the cost of purchase, but also the cost of ownership.”