“Life Sciences in an Oil City” World-Class Research.

“Life Sciences in an Oil City”

World-Class Research

Aberdeen’s Nobel LaureatesChemistry 1921 Frederick Soddy Professor of Chemistry

Physiology or Medicine

1923 J J R Macleod Regius Professor of Physiology

Physics 1937 Sir George Paget Thomson

Professor of Natural Philosophy

Peace Prize 1947 Lord Boyd Orr Director of the RowettProfessor of Agriculture

Chemistry 1952 Richard L M Synge Biochemist Rowett

Spin outs created 2009 - 2012

Source: PraxisUnico Spinout UK Survey, Annual Report 2013

Note: Spin-outs are defined as companies formed to exploit intellectual property owned by a university and do not include start-ups, which are formed without IP

1 University of Oxford 11

2= University of Edinburgh 10 University College, London 4 Imperial College , London 85 University of Nottingham 7

6 University of Aberdeen 5

7= University of Cambridge 4 University of Glasgow University of Strathclyde Heriot Watt University

Strategy & Support for Knowledge Exchange

• Create a culture and training to incentivise staff

• Bio-business and entrepreneurship at undergrad and post-grad levels

• Co-founders of £25 m VC fund for Life Sciences with

Edinburgh & Glasgow Universities, Scottish Enterprise, EIB, Strathclyde Pension Fund

Gov funded science

Haptogen formed in 2002

Sold to Wyeth in 2007Became Pfizer in 2009

On-going collaborative relationshipReturn of IP to create new businesses

Life Sciences Innovation 1

Creating a life science cluster

GT Biologics Ltd

Attracting inward investment

TauRX

TauRx Therapeutics announces successful Phase 2 Clinical Trial

Attracting inward investment; TauRx Therapeutics

• University and founders (CEO Prof Claude Wischik)– spun-out in 2002

• Raised around US $380 m of investment – primarily from sources in Far East and Canada

• Phase III trial, started 2013

- Investment from Angel investors- Phase II clinical trials- Signed licence deal withTaro Inc

Life Science Business Leadership (2013)

NovaBiotics Ltd, Aberdeen

Scottish life sciences award winner07 February 2014

Dr Deborah A O'Neil

Collaboration is key to finding answers to big problems

• “I would like encourage academic, clinical and commercial Life Science colleagues to consider routes to regional collaboration fuelled by our commitment to science excellence and common experience of Life Science Research in an Oil City”