Scotland’s life sciences winners announced

Held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday 6^th February, the annual awards ceremony was attended by over 750 people from the global life sciences community.

The awards recognise the success and achievements of Scotland’s internationally renowned life sciences sector in areas including innovation, investment, community engagement and collaboration. The awards also focus on the ongoing work of Scottish Enterprise and its partners to grow and develop a sustainable, globally competitive life sciences sector in Scotland.

Scotland's life sciences industry already contributes more than £3 billion a year to the Scottish economy with over 650 organisations employing now in excess of 35,000 people. It is globally recognised for its high levels of innovation – translating ideas and research into novel treatments and world-leading therapies.

Julia Brown, senior director of life and chemical sciences at Scottish Enterprise said: "Congratulations to this year’s winners. The quality of candidates for these awards continues to go from strength to strength each successive year and is testament to the reputation and robustness of Scotland’s life sciences expertise.

“The Scottish life sciences sector is a broad church, ranging from animal and plant health, to regenerative medicine and industrial biotechnology, and it’s our role at Scottish Enterprise to work with partners to ensure that each of these areas are supported so that Scotland can continue to improve and successfully compete on an international scale.”

The winners of this year’s awards are:

Innovation Award

Toshiba Medical Visualisation Systems Europe (TMVSE), Edinburgh.

Founded in 2009, the company’s 120 employees produce sophisticated imaging software incorporated into Toshiba’s CT, MRI, Ultrasound and X-Ray devices worldwide. Their latest innovation is a suite of advanced image processing and visualization technologies for the diagnosis of Cardiovascular diseases

Life Science Business Leadership (2013)

Novabiotics Ltd, Aberdeen

Novabiotics is a leading clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the design and development of first-in-class anti-infective therapies for difficult to treat, poorly served infectious conditions. Dr. Deborah A. O’Neil set up NovaBiotics in 2004. To date, the company, of 15 staff, is developing four novel therapeutics. Deborah has shown great enthusiasm and persistency for her scientific and commercial work. This has culminated in securing a commercial deal for the lead-product with Taro Pharmaceuticals.

Investment of the Year (2013)

DySIS Medical Ltd, Livingston is a medical devices company active within women’s health. In 2013 it announced the completion of a £7.4 million fundraising,comprising of £6 million from Copenhagen-based, Lundbeckfond Ventures, an investment group specialising in Life Sciences. A further £1.4 million was raised through existing shareholders Albion Ventures, NBGI and the Scottish Investment Bank (SIB), the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise. This investment is a significant milestone for the Company and will be used to fund further expansion in target markets, the US and Europe for its new colposcope technology to detect cervical cancer. Lundbeckfond represents a new investor both for the company and for Scotland.

Commercial Collaboration

Open Brolly in collaboration with NHS Highland, Moray

SME OpenBrolly and NHS Highland started working together in 2012 to develop a reproducible medical solution which would be transformative in the care of patients with relatively rare, chronic conditions. A pilot with Crohn’s and Colitis UK was developed as a mobile app to provide support for patients between consultations and reduce the need for travel which for some patients can be hundreds of miles.

Community Engagement

Ockham Oncology, Edinburgh is a Clinical Oncology Contract Research Organisation. Nexus Oncology had always been actively involved in supporting cancer charities, and with the acquisition by Ockham in January 2012, this continues to be part of the ethos.

Ockham has committed to a "Stronger Together" campaign and all employees are encouraged to take part. The goal this year, for the EU operation based in Scotland, was to raise money for a Scottish family whose child is undergoing cancer treatment for Leukaemia. Their US counterparts are raising money for a family in the US. In 2013 Ockham employees along with the company match funding, donated over £10,000 to the sponsored Scottish family.

Outstanding contribution to the Growth of Scottish Life Sciences

Dave Tudor

Dave Tudor is VP Global Primary Manufacture for GSK with responsibility over 9 manufacturing sites including 2 in Scotland. He is the leader of GSK’s Steering Group for Scotland supporting the substantial investments made at the Irvine and Montrose facilities. He is responsible, on behalf of LiSAB, for driving the development of a Life and Chemical Sciences manufacturing strategy.

Special Recognition Award

Professor Chris Packard

Chris currently leads the R&D team for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. He serves on a number of national committees and is a key member of the Life Sciences Advisory Board (LiSAB). His work in demonstrating the benefits that the life sciences sector can bring to Scotland has been crucial in helping to transform the relationship the industry has with the NHS.