retort the Newsletter of The Oxford Science Park Autumn 2014dp

retort THE NEWSLETTER OF THE OXFORD SCIENCE PARK AUTUMN 2014

ATDBio n Lakeside Hotspot n New healthcare companies n Seminar news n

where the business of science comes to life w w w. o x f o r d s p . c o m

2

Editorial In this edition of retort we feature more fascinating stories from businesses and organisations based at the Park. Our ‘Company Profile’ features the story of ATDBio, which has recently expanded into purpose-built laboratories in the Magdalen Centre to cater for its growth.

Rory Maw of Joint Venture Partners, Magdalen College

We also highlight Sinodun Internet Technologies, a research and development company primarily focused on internet protocols; Cablefree: Wireless Excellence and its range of products for high performance wireless connectivity; CalciCo Therapeutics, a venture backed biotechnology company focused on the development of novel CRAC channel inhibitors; and Oxehealth’s medical technology which can read vital signs with a camera in a wide range of real-world situations.

In this issue there are reports from a number of new organisations including Oxford Academic Health Science Network, which brings together the NHS, universities, business, patients and the public to promote better

health for our population and prosperity for our region.

This year on the Park we have been trialling an open air Wi-Fi facility for Park residents and their visitors to enjoy at lunchtimes and while out and about in the grounds.

This is in addition to the existing building Wi-Fi hotspots in the Magdalen Centre and Sadler Building and you can read more about it below.

Finally on page 8 we talk about the IET engineering seminars hosted here and a new series of ‘Business Breakfast’ meetings for Park companies which were voted a great success.

Further information about these companies and more is on our website at www.oxfordsp.com

Rory Maw, Magdalen College

Lakeside Wireless Hotspot is latest boost to Park facilities

Lunchtimes at the Lakeside Wireless Hotspot

The Oxford Science Park has boosted the wireless broadband facilities available to people who work here.

We’ve installed a new Wireless Hotspot in the attractive Lakeside area – a popular spot for people who are taking a break from their desks.

The new Hotspot is currently on trial until the end of September. If it proves popular then the Park’s management team will consider a permanent installation.

Business Development Manager, Ian Macpherson: “We live and work in a time where mobile connectivity is increasingly important. More and more we expect to be able to connect quickly and effectively via our smartphones, tablets and laptops when we are out and

about. The Lakeside is a really popular place for people who work on the Park to meet and relax when they’re away from their desks. If this new Lakeside Wireless Hotspot proves to be something that’s valued, we’ll look at making it a permanent installation.”

Members of the Park’s Security team were on hand during the early days of the new service to assist users to connect.

Science Park Services Manager, Robert Horsfield, added: “Creating an attractive location with superb facilities is one key to our success as a Science Park. We continually invest in the landscaping, infrastructure, security, catering and meeting room facilities, plus the general Park environment. It is these and additional business and social activities, that make working at the Oxford Science Park a much more rewarding experience.”

focus C

O

M

P A

N

3

Y

ATDBio “We started making occasional oligos for free, as a favour to friends, who found that these oligos worked in experiments where others had failed. The number of requests increased, and ATDBio was born.”

After just a few months at Oxford Science Park, oligonucleotide synthesis specialists ATDBio are already on the move... to bigger, custom-designed laboratory space in the Magdalen Centre where they first took up accommodation in 2013.

It’s a reflection, says ATDBio Director Dr Tom Brown Jnr director Dr Tom Brown Jnr, of their growth and potential: “The new labs are four or five times bigger than the ones we started in, and we needed the extra space to allow us to get in new equipment and to accommodate extra staff.”

ATDBio was established in 2005 to provide high quality oligonucleotides to scientists around the world. Its oligonucleotides are now used successfully in academic and commercial research in the fields of genetics, genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology and nanotechnology. The company was founded by Tom’s parents: Professor Tom Brown, one of the world’s leading nucleic acids chemists and now Professor of Nucleic Acid Chemistry at the University of Oxford, and Dr Dorcas Brown, an expert in oligonucleotide synthesis. Professor Brown says: “Over the years, working in the field of nucleic acids research, we received many enquiries from researchers around the world frustrated with the general lack of quality in oligos they were receiving and a paucity of high-level technical support.

We started making occasional oligos for free, as a favour to friends, who found that these oligos worked in experiments where others had failed. The number of requests increased, and ATDBio was born.”

Now its work worldwide covers a range from biotech companies to government organisations and university research labs with a number of world-leading biotech customers among the portfolio. Dr Brown Jnr, who set up the ATDBio R&D laboratory in Oxford, says: “Another reason why the new lab space is so important to us is it means we have a contingency to allow us to deal with large contracts from big name partners. Being in Oxford will also help us to recruit the best talent that we’ll need as we grow.” In total, the company has about a dozen full-time employees, all of whom have science degrees or PhDs.

The Oxford facility focuses on research and development and is working on new methods to produce chemically modified DNA. Applications are at two extreme ends of the spectrum: on the one hand high-throughput synthesis and on the other hand large-scale production for potential therapeutic applications. ATDBio is involved in a number of major EU projects, one of them a pan-European venture involving two other companies, in Germany and the Netherlands. Called ‘Integrated Drug Discovery Pipeline for Next Generation Aptamers’ (INGA), this €2 million ‘Eurostars’ project will see ATDBio, Biaffin and FlexMers combine their expertise to create a pipeline which is intended to provide a novel alternative to traditional drug compounds. The project is part of a strand of research by the intergovernmental organisation Eureka, whose aim is to raise the productivity and competitiveness of European businesses through technology, and is one of a number that ATDBio are bidding for involvement with.

The growing recognition of the company’s work has included Professor Brown being named 2014 Chemistry World Entrepreneur of the Year. Several recent high profile publications have resulted from his research on the use of click chemistry in DNA and RNA ligation, including the use of click chemistry in oligo synthesis.

Says Professor Brown: “The constant stream of innovations has a direct impact on the service ATDBio provides. When customers ask us for tricky Part of the new laboratory suite for ATDBio oligos, we can often suggest new ways of making them using novel chemistry, and without compromising on quality. This is an exciting time for DNA and RNA-based technologies with rapid developments in many areas including synthetic biology.”

For further information contact: ATDBio t: +44 (0) 1865 784616 e: tb3@atdbio.com w: www.atdbio.com

w w w. o x f o r d s p . c o m

4

One technology. Three vital signs.

Unlimited possibilities.

“The possibilities both in healthcare and other sectors are endless.”

For further information contact:

Oxehealth t: +44 (0) 1865 784673 e: info@oxehealth.com w: www.oxehealth.com

That’s the message from Magdalen Centre company Oxehealth about its revolutionary technology, which allows an individual’s vital signs to be monitored by digital video camera, tablet or phone, without the need for physical contact or proprietary equipment.

Oxehealth is a joint spin out from the University of Oxford and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust which moved to Oxford Science Park after completing a funding round led by IP Group. The science is applied through the use of complex patented mathematical algorithms, originally developed by Professor Lionel Tarassenko in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford.

Oxehealth CEO Jonathan Chevalier says the technology has applications beyond its core uses in healthcare: “We’ve taken the science of photoplethysmography and through the use of our sophisticated algorithms produced a medical technology which can read vital signs with a camera in a wide range of real world situations. This enables the technology to be taken out of the lab and applied to a range of genuinely useful

potential applications from monitoring the vital signs of drivers on long journeys through uses in the security industry, to baby monitors in the consumer retail market.”

A key factor in the decision to move was the need to recruit more people to handle what Jonathan describes as “a lot of interest in the technology. We needed a facility that allowed us to maintain our close working relationship with the University of Oxford, and that was easy to move in to, was well equipped and offered a good working environment. Now,” he says, “we are working with partners to build commercial prototypes that will really demonstrate the value of our technology.”

An individual’s vital signs may be monitored by digital video camera, tablet or phone, without the need for physical contact or proprietary equipment.

5

University of Oxford spin out takes its next step at the Science Park CalciCo Therapeutics moved to the Magdalen Centre ready for expansion after a successful seed funding phase.

CalciCo is a venture backed biotechnology company focused on the development of novel CRAC channel inhibitors. A University of Oxford spinout, it is based on the work of Professor Anant Parekh and his vision to identify a potent and selective CRAC channel inhibitor which could be used to treat patients suffering from immune, inflammatory or allergic diseases.

The move has given CalciCo the laboratory space and capacity for growth it needs to take the next step. “It was also,” says David Madge, “important to us to be part of a community with a strong focus on life science, which The Oxford Science Park very much has.”

For further information contact:

CalciCo Therapeutics t: +44 (0) 1865 784796 e: fraser.murray@calcico.com w: http://calcico.com

With Fraser Murray and David Madge recruited to take CalciCo Therapeutics through its next stage, the focus now is on drug discovery work and developing selective small molecules to treat a range of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions where there is clear evidence linking CRAC to human disease.

Funded by Advent Life Sciences and Imperial Innovations, the company has developed proprietary ‘know-how’ comprising novel assay systems for selective CRAC channel screening and compound characterisation. “This”, says Vice President Chemistry, David Madge, “puts us in a unique position to achieve the goal of potent and selective CRAC channel inhibitors, which has so far eluded pharmaceutical companies.”

CRAC channels play a pivotal role in the immune system including the activation of mast cells (pictured).

CalciCo Vice President Biology, Fraser Murray, adds: “What we are doing is something that others have tried but been unable to achieve. We believe we have an angle that gives us a much better chance of success, and that is why venture capitalists have backed us with their investment.”

Developing PET agents for the detection of recurrent prostate cancer New company to the Park, Blue Earth Diagnostics (BED), is developing PET (Positron Emission Tomography) agents for the detection of recurrent prostate cancer.

BED is a spin-out from GE Healthcare, and is funded by Syncona Partners, the Venture arm of the Wellcome Trust.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in men worldwide. Most primary prostate cancer can be successfully treated, but the disease does recur in approximately 35% of patients. In some patients the recurrent disease is detectable only because their PSA rises, however the location of the recurrence cannot be located by conventional imaging. This severely limits making the correct choice for these patients.

Fluciclovine is a synthetic amino acid which is preferentially taken up by prostate cancer cells. Clinical studies have demonstrated that fluciclovine is capable of detecting local or metastatic recurrent prostate cancer disease, thereby informing treatment choice. BED will complete clinical development and file for registration for fluciclovine for lesion detection and localisation for prostate cancer patients experiencing biochemical recurrence.

More than 1000 patients have received fluciclovine to date and multiple studies are ongoing in the US, EU

and Japan to investigate its utility. There has been a significant and ongoing effort to prospectively evaluate the potential of fluciclovine in biochemically recurrent prostate cancer, including comparisons to agents already used in this population. The results to date are reported to be extremely encouraging.

Dr Jonathan Allis, CEO of BED, commented: “Fluciclovine potentially addresses a major unmet medical need, and the whole BED team is extremely motivated to complete this product’s development and get it into the hands of physicians in order to benefit patients.”

Following Fluciclovine (18F) injection, 10x3mm node detected with SUV 4.6 vs background SUV of 1.

Radical Prostatectomy in Sept 2011. Radiotherapy, no Androgen deprivation therapy.

Rising PSA Aug 6 2013. Negative conventional imaging Oct 8th 2013 Image reproduced courtesy of Dr Cristina Nanni, Ospedale St’Orsola, Bologna, Italy

Cancerous node

For further information contact:

Blue Earth Diagnostics t: +44 (0) 1865 784000 e: contact@blueearthDx.com w: www.blueearthdiagnostics.com

w w w. o x f o r d s p . c o m

6 For further information contact:

Sinodun Internet Technologies t: +44 (0) 1865 784342 e: info@sinodun.com w: http://sinodun.com

Clocking up new business Four and counting. As well as ticking down time, the clocks on the wall in Sinodun Internet Technologies’ Magdalen Centre office on Oxford Science Park are also helping measure the company’s progress.

“It’s a community, says Sara, “where word of mouth, track record and getting known for the work you do is key to bringing in new contracts.” It’s also a business where partnership work on an international scale is common. Sinodun are involved in a project on DNS privacy which brings together organisations and team members from all over the world.

Co-founders John and Sara Dickinson add a new clock to the wall each time they start work for a customer in a different world time zone, and two more are due to join the collection shortly.

John and Sara moved the business to Oxford Science Park this year, says John: “partly because of the availability of great internet connectivity which is crucial for the work we do, but also to draw on the Park’s central location and reputation, to help us recruit.”

And it’s already working for them as they seek to hire a second Software Developer. “We’ve definitely had more and better quality applicants than the last time we tried recruitment,” says John.

Sinodun is a research and development company primarily focused on internet protocols, which John and Sara started after working for a number of large firms.

They count among their customers some of the biggest names in the sector including fellow Oxford Science Park based-internet registry Nominet, its Swedish equivalent, .SE, and domain name management organisation, ICANN.

With a new team member in place and new contracts in the pipeline, it looks like it will soon be time for more clocks to join the Sinodun collection.

Delivering best health and prosperity for our region For further information contact:

Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN) Megan Turmezei, Assistant Director megan.turmezei@ouh.nhs.uk e: oxford.ahsn@ouh.nhs.uk w: www.OxfordAHSN.org

An organisation that’s part of a national network to support collaboration, research and innovation across the NHS, universities and business, is a recent arrival at the Park.

The Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN) is one of 15 new networks licensed by NHS England to bring together NHS strength, research excellence and business innovation, to ensure best health and secure regional prosperity.

Oxford AHSN Chief Executive Officer, Professor Gary A Ford CBE, said: “Basing ourselves at the Oxford Science Park feels like a good fit with our mission. We aim to build on the undoubted strengths here and across our region to deliver exemplary care and create the strongest life science cluster, improve health outcomes and raise quality and value by spreading best practice quickly and widely.”

The Oxford AHSN’s objectives are to focus on the needs of patients and populations, speed up adoption of innovation into practice, build a culture of partnership

and collaboration, and create wealth. These are being delivered through three major programmes called ‘Best Care’ (incorporating clinical networks, continuous learning and innovation adoption), ‘Research & Development’ and ‘Wealth Creation’. Two further key themes – Informatics, and Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Experience - cut across all programmes.

The Oxford AHSN covers a population of 3.3 million people across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire, an area which is home to many major international companies, more than 300 life science businesses and nine universities. The NHS spends £5bn a year within its boundaries.

Wireless Excellence in 65 countries worldwide “We’re very much a can do company,” says Cablefree: Wireless Excellence Director, Stephen Patrick.

It’s a statement that’s been tested in demanding conditions. Some installations of their wireless communications systems are in remote areas of the world where the challenge is around managing with very limited infrastructure.

Wireless Excellence are leading designers and manufacturers whose CableFree range of products for high performance wireless connectivity include Free Space Optics, OFDM Radio, Licensed Microwave, Millimeter-Wave, WiMAX and WiFi. They now have customer installations in more than 65 countries worldwide, including a public safety CCTV system at Mecca, a wireless communications system for Guy’s Hospital, high quality bespoke in-time video connectivity

for the BBC during the 2012 Olympics*, and major UK tourist attractions, including the Tower of London.

The business moved into the Magdalen Centre last year as an initiative to bring their core team of specialist technologists together on a single site. Says Stephen Patrick: “Oxford seems the best and natural place for a quality high tech company like CableFree: Wireless Excellence. Here we are able to attract highlyexperienced, qualified and knowledgeable staff from the ‘dreaming spires’. Oxford also has its practical advantages of good transport connectivity, including being so close to London Heathrow, and we can benefit from flexibility in terms of taking on space here at the prestigious Oxford Science Park, which is vital for an internationally scalable business like ours.”

7 For further information contact:

Cablefree: Wireless Excellence t: +44 (0) 870 4959169 e: admin@wirelessexcellence.com w: www.wirelessexcellence.com

Looking ahead, the Wireless Excellence team is confidently predicting a very exciting period into 2015 with excellent new projects in the pipeline.

Tower of London

*“For the 2012 Olympics, Wireless Excellence was commissioned by the BBC to provide 1.485Gbps High Definition Broadcast Video links around the Olympic Park in London.

These links carried live television signals which were broadcast worldwide including the TeamGB interviews. Using Free Space Optical technology these links are highly secure and ideal for permanent or temporary networks between sites.”

Stephen Patrick, CEO, Wireless Excellence

w w w. o x f o r d s p . c o m

8

Engineering series focuses on technologies of the future Assisted vision, autonomous cars and wireless data and power: Park companies and visitors had a fascinating glimpse into the future at a series of University of Oxford-led talks held at the Magdalen Centre.

Organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the series showcased some of the exciting developments being worked on at the University.

In the first, Dr Stephen Hicks, examined work by a team at the University which is developing smart-glasses using computer vision and electronic components usually found in mobile phones, to help people who are registered as blind to use their remaining vision to see and avoid obstacles.

charge and transmit data without cables. He explained that, although current applications target smaller, low power devices, the technology might, if employed on a larger scale, eliminate the need for power and data cables.

Oxford Science Park Magdalen Centre Manager, Shannon Blaszko, said: “The three talks showcased examples of the exciting research work being done at The University of Oxford, and offered a glimpse into the future of the opportunities and challenges these technologies present.”

The IET - www.theiet.org/communities - is one of the world’s largest engineering institutions with nearly 160,000 members in 127 countries. Its mission is to build the profile of engineering and change outdated perceptions about the sector in order to tackle the skills gap, including encouraging more women to become engineers and growing the number of engineering apprentices.

“Autonomous Cars & Introspection” by Professor Ingmar Posner described some of the work in navigation and perception being done by the University’s Oxford Mobile Robotics Group, which aims to provide robust and long-term autonomous driving at a price point suitable for mass-market adoption.

In the third talk, Dr Chris Stevens at the University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science, outlined work they’re doing to develop a technology to allow devices such as mobile phones and cameras to both

New Breakfast Meeting series off to a great start A new series of Science Park ‘Business Breakfast’ meetings was launched this year for directors of companies on the Park.

commercial value and the new tax relief initiative, Patent Box.

• From the bio sector David Laskow-Pooley of Pharmafor discussed the re-purposing of medicines in the pharmaceutical industry.

Feedback from delegates was really positive with comments including: “It made me think of IP in a much broader context.”; “The presentations were very interesting as a general update on what different innovative businesses are doing”; “A good blend of speakers - science, professional services and manufacturing”; “Excellent networking opportunity.

Good balance between time to talk and formal input”; “Great to meet more people on the Science Park.”

• From the IT sector, Stephen Patrick, CEO of Cablefree: Wireless Excellence, described the products they have used for delivering high speed broadband wireless into unusual places, including for the BBC during the 2012 Olympics and for major UK tourist attractions, including the Tower of London.

Ian Macpherson, Business Development Manager at the Park, commented: “The Business Breakfast” was a great success, it allowed directors to gain an insight into the operations of other Park companies and provided a great networking opportunity. This is definitely something we’ll do again.”

The first meeting, organised in conjunction with Patent Attorneys Marks & Clerk, featured three speakers:

• From the professional services sector, Dr Matthew Mitchell at Marks & Clerk, talked about patents, their

retort THE NEWSLETTER OF THE OXFORD SCIENCE PARK

retort is published by the directorate of the Joint Venture, The Oxford Science Park, edited by Iain Nicholson and produced by www.imageworks.co.uk © 2014. All trademarks are recognised.

For further information contact Ian Macpherson, The Oxford Science Park, Magdalen Centre, Robert Robinson Avenue, Oxford OX4 4GA. Tel: +44 (0) 1865 784000 Fax: +44 (0) 1865 784004 E-mail Ian.Macpherson@oxfordsp.com Web: www.oxfordsp.com The Oxford Science Park is a joint venture between Prudential and Magdalen College, Oxford.

The views of the contributors are not necessarily the views held by The Oxford Science Park Joint Venture Partners.