ON A HIGH AT ERBI'SBENCH2BOARDROOM

ERBI CEO Harriet Fear explainedthat the objective had been tocreate an enabling environmentfor the sector to do business.

“The feedback has been great,especially for the partneringsessions, where delegates wereable to arrange a quick successionof short informal meetings. Wehad a great representation ofinternational panellists anddelegates and our keynote speakerWilliam Haseltine was inspiring.”

It was Haseltine who coined thephrase ‘Regenerative Medicine’, foran emerging discipline which aimsto use knowledge about how ahealthy body repairs itself to helprestrict the damage caused bydisease. Panelist Tim Allsopp ofPfizer mentioned that his companyhad even created a new unit toadvance the technology and buildthe proposition. There waspromise too in the medical devicearena which was chaired by BillMunday of blueAid. Michael Reillyof Orange Healthcare was also

upbeat and described how severalrecent projects had been warmlyaccepted by end users.

This included a timesaving typetextapplication on a Blackberry formidwives and an application forlone workers which was sellingwell through a retail outlet.

A number of pioneers in drug re-purposing, where modifications aremade to the structure of a drug toimprove its performance or treatanother condition, discussed howthis undervalued branch of drugdevelopment is now coming of age.‘I no longer feel like a second handdrugs salesman’ quipped one of thepanellists.

ABOVE FROM TOP:Williiam Haseltine, Harriet Fear,Bill Munday.Delegates enjoying the MedImmunesponsored reception.

RIGHT:Jon Green.

ABOVE LEFT:Partnering Sessions.

ERBI AWARDSA highlight of the event was the presentation ofthe ERBI awards

ERBI Award for Innovation - Senexissponsor: HealthTech & Medicines KTN

ERBI NHS Partnership Award - PHG Foundationsponsor: NHS East of England

ERBI Export Achievement Award - Melbourn Scientificsponsor: East of England International

ERBI Start-up Award - Pathology Diagnosticssponsor: EEDA

The route from scientific breakthrough topatient bedside was made clearer at ERBI'sBench2Boardroom where panels ofinternational speakers discussed the businessmodels that are proving successful in theworlds of regenerative medicine, consumerhealthcare and drug repurposing.

‘I was delighted by the buzz in the partneringsessions and to see so many delegates stay for

the reception which rounded off afull and stimulating day’.

Jon Green of MedImmune and Chair of ERBI

The concept was about helping thebody to restore itself to naturalfunction. The science has developedand there have been manybreakthroughs but a big issue forWilliam remains in that the peoplein charge of regenerative treatmenttend to be surgeons, who may often

know little about the developmentsin this field as it is not part of theirtraining. William believes thatclosing the gap between bench andbedside is essential to acceleratedevelopments in this field.

Big breakthroughs

The capability to influence thebiological fate of cells is the biggestbreakthrough in this science,according to Tim, as the ability toregress cells provides the potentialto repair tissues. Additionally, hethought the advances in the deliveryof cells as a therapy for organdysfunction also provided newopportunities.

For Erik, the big breakthrough wasthe understanding of how stem cellsdifferentiate. He said that therewere miraculous examples ofpatients being treated and, althoughthe results were still tooinconsistent, they provided insightsinto treatments to come.Translational science has alsodeveloped and new delivery devices,for example to take cells to theheart, were also encouraging.

William said that although therehad been problems with stem cells,for instance the limited compatibility

between individuals, theunderstanding of the plasticity ofcells was exciting, as was the abilityto insert genes. He explained howthis might be applied to diabeteswith modified cells being used torestore pancreatic function.

William said that he has beenimpressed by the creation ofartificial organs such as bladders,tubes and other structures, thatnine years later are still functioning.

Money for some niche areas

Cathy commented that high levelsof commitment are needed to fundthis development but theparameters of the investment are illdefined. The patents arecomplicated, the regulatorypathway uncertain, and the businessmodel and the exit unclear.

However, as Tim pointed out,‘Regenerative Medicine’ covers awide range of product typesincluding small moleculedevelopments, which plug intopharma more easily.

He stressed that cell basedtherapies are attracting investmentand showing promise. At Pfizer anew unit has been developed to

REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

PANELJeanette Walker, (Chair)letscellit.comWilliam A Haseltine,Haseltine Foundation for Medical Sciences andthe ArtsCathy Prescott,BiolatrisErik Miljan,ReNeuron GroupTim Allsopp,Pfizer Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative Medicine was a term coined byWilliam Haseltine in 1999 to help describe a

new branch of science that encompassed tissueengineering and stem cell development.

The rapid organic growth andcommercial potential of newcomerPathology Diagnostics Ltd has wonit the 2009 ERBI Start-up Award,which is sponsored by the East ofEngland Development Agency.

Pathology Diagnostics Ltd hasachieved a six figure turnoverwithout upfront equity investment.It provides a one stop solution forhuman tissue diagnostics.Supporting the development of newmedicines, it assesses how drugswork on their target tissues fromdiscovery in the lab to clinical trials.

Annabel Grant of EEDA said theStart-up Award had attracted someexciting new companies, which

demonstrated how this importantsector of the economy is thrivingand vibrant:

“Our sponsorship is aimed atshowing our commitment to helpingboth early stage and moreestablished companiescommercialise innovative newtechnologies,” says Annabel Grant.

“Whilst good technology and astrong IP position are important, acommitted and experienced teamwill often make the differencebetween success and failure.”

Dr Madhuri Warren MA, PhD,MBBChir, FRCPath, the founder andmanaging director of Pathology

Diagnostics Ltd was delighted toreceive the ERBI award:“It has been a hectic year workingwith pharmaceutical, biotechnologyand contract researchorganisations. In only twelvemonths we have grown to a teamof six in Cambridge, set up US links,and expanded our laboratoryservices. The award provideswelcome recognition of thatachievement and we are verygrateful for the help and supportthat ERBI has given us.”

The global market for human tissueproducts and assays is estimated at£350 million and is growing by 20 -30% p.a. Working primarily incancer, Pathology Diagnostics Ltd

evaluates drugs and novelbiomarkers, and developscompanion clinical diagnostics.Harriet Fear CEO of ERBI says thatPathology Diagnostics Ltd showshow companies can achieve highgrowth if given the right supportiveenvironment.

“Building a cluster means that it iseasier for start-ups to acceleratetheir growth. Our role is to helpcreate that infrastructure and this isglobal as well as regional.”

Madhuri Warren already has plansto expand the company'slaboratory and tissue distributioncapabilities to meet client demand.www.pathologydiagnostics.com.

RAPID GROWTH SCOOPS PATHOLOGY DIAGNOSTICS ERBI AWARDSponsor EEDA says the sector is vibrant and thriving

advance the technology and buildthe proposition.

William agreed that some aspectsare already well funded. Forexample, artificial joints provide areal opportunity for micro medicalsurgery.

Some technologies, such as purestem cell therapy, to his mind, needgovernment support and shouldstay in the academic research worlduntil they are sufficiently mature tosurvive commercially. Prematurecommercial exposure could fatallydamage the potential of thetechnology.

Bone marrow transplantation isnow commonplace, this is anexample of what can be achieved ina new niche area when the keyplayers work together.

Regulatory affairs aresupportive

Regulatory processes for cell-baseddevelopments are still relativelynew and untested but Erikcommented that this shouldn’t beseen as negative. The patienttrials are very small, typically asfew as 12 people, and it is difficultto prove that results are

sufficiently significant, but hehas found the best approach isto engage with the FDA at anearly stage and seek their advicewhen something non-standardcrops up.

He has found both the FDA and theMHRA encouraging and supportive.

The biggest minefield is the IPR

Cells are complex to protect as itis difficult to identify the function bythe cell phenotype. Also cellsurface markers overlap so they aredifficult to define.

To navigate this effectively needsprofessional advice and this ofcourse is expensive.

There are also fundamentaldifferences between the US andthe UK, as Cathy pointed out. Inthe US, unlike the UK, it ispossible to patent embryonic stemcells. The field is moving veryfast, the understanding uponwhich patents were created afew years ago has changedparticularly in areas such asthe development of new cellswith induced properties. Whatclaim do previous patent-holdershave?

The other issue is that the processis lengthy so that by the time youhave navigated the regulatorysystem there may be little marketlife protection left for the product.

Therapies that stop progressionof disease show most promise

William sees the greatest potentialfor Regenerative Medicine in helpingorgans to remodel themselves, forexample to repair the tissue afterheart failure.

Tim agreed that this would be oneof the major aims of this branch ofscience but added that bringing thebenefits to a wider public wouldalso create momentum. Hementioned the recent WHO summitin Berlin, which discussed the role ofgenetic engineering in thedevelopment of a new TB vaccine.

Cathy commented that manychronic diseases are actuallymultiple conditions and betterunderstanding of the underlyingdisorders could improvemanagement of the symptoms.

For Erik a greater knowledge ofhow the healthy body fixes itselfwould provide the insights neededto stop the progression of disease.

CAMBRIDGEBIOMEDICAL CAMPUSThe development of a biomedical campus close toAddenbrooke’s hospital may provide the contact withclinicians that is required for the development of applicationsto support healthcare professionals.

The campus is offering bespoke accommodation forbiomedical research, clinical treatment and higher educationuse.

It provides the opportunity to work alongside the University ofCambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge UniversityHospitals, the Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Counciland Cancer Research UK.

www.cambridge-biomedical.com

Other shortlisted companies:Novalia has developed a processfor creating low cost interactiveprintable electronics.

Walker Graham PharmaConsulting provides QualifiedPerson services to thepharmaceutical, medical device andhealth care sectors.

BELOW:Dr Madhuri Warren, the founder andmanaging director of PathologyDiagnostics Ltd was delighted toreceive the 2009 ERBI Start-up Awardfrom Dr Belinda Clarke on behalf of thesponsor East of England DevelopmentAgency (left) and Barnaby PerksMarketing Director of ERBI

ABOVE FROM TOP:Cathy Prescott.William A. Haseltine.

FAR LEFT:Erik Miljan.

CEO BREAKFAST

Simon Portman, Associate at Marks

& Clerk, patent attorney and

property lawyers, hosted the CEO

breakfast. He commented that

companies providing consultancy

services were performing well as

the downsizing of large pharma

creates opportunities for

outsourcing.

DRUG RE-PURPOSING

Background

Re-purposing is typically to achieveone of three objectives:

• create a new use for an existingdrug or molecule

• reformulate a drug for controlledrelease or novel device, forexample inhaler or nasal spray

• develop a more effectivechemical enhancement

Where it is possible to offer a newuse or form of delivery and toenhance efficacy then this haspotential for patent approval.

Where will the breakthroughscome from?

Andy doesn’t believe that theprofitable breakthroughs will comevia the academic route. Heexplained that two or three novelagents that react with pathwaysare announced each week andthese rarely amount to anything.He sees greater potential for drug

delivery companies to move up thevalue chain and for the creation ofspecialist companies directed at thisgoal.

He pointed out that companiesshould look more widely than theexisting pharmacopoeia which onlycovers drugs in development andrecently released – this onlyamounts to 1-3,000 drugs that areavailable mainly in the UK and theUSA. There are many other olderdrugs or those in small territoriesthat hold more potential.

For example Galanthamine, usedfor treatment of Alzheimer’s, wasalready on the market in EasternEurope before it was re-purposed.

How to repurpose

Nigel saw a big change from about2002 onwards when the industrygained momentum and acceptance.Julian Gilbert interjected that untilthen they were seen as ‘secondhand salesmen’.

The change came with theexplosion of molecular informationthat emerged at the turn of thecentury which showed new targetsand pathways for drug interaction.

Tim explained that the newapproach was to identify abiological target and find somethingfrom the existing pharmacopoeia tohit it with, and then move quickly totesting under clinical conditions.This process was accelerated as thedrugs were already licensed for use.

Peter agreed and commented thatsometimes an existing drugdemonstrates positive activity buthas undesirable side-effects whichcan be removed by creating ananalogue.

Julian said that if the drug is offpatent and widely used in themarket then it is easier to bridge tophase 2 trials with a new product.

William Bains was asked tocomment on the potential forisotope substitution and heexplained that in the early ‘90shydrogen was replaced with

deuterium creating an altered pKwithout the need for clinical trials.The toxicity testing had alreadybeen done so the need was just forproof of efficacy.

Commercial potential isrelated to clinical benefit

Andy commented that the startingpoint is important. Too manycompanies take the approach ‘hereare the top 100 molecules, wherecan we repurpose?’ when in factthese products are best sellersbecause they are good drugs withlittle scope for improvement. Itwould be better to look at drugsthat are not doing well and aim toaddress their flaws.

Peter said that the commercial casemust be made first. He advised thatthe vital factor is to establish thatthe drug addresses a real problem.The starting point should be thepatient and the issues with howthey are being treated at themoment. A more effective solutioncan then be created.

A clinical differentiator has animpact on the price and thereforethe return on investment. If you candetermine that you will be able todeliver a clear medical benefit,assess the amount of technical riskinvolved and be confident in success,then these are strong indicatorsthat the drug will be profitable.Nigel commented that the challengefor the investor is that they are onlyin for a period of time, and theyneed to see added value. If the riskgoes up then the value must also goup which is typically only true if thedrug is addressing an unmet medicalneed.

Julian agreed. If the drug works ona validated mechanism of actionthis creates lower development riskbut higher commercial risk as youhave to show an advantage overthe marketed product.

Should a company have aparticular therapeutic focus?

Julian advised that having atherapeutic focus differentiates acompany and also provides anopportunity to build up expertise in

There is a school of thought that says drug re-purposing is easyand profitable as it is low risk, but is this true?

The risk profile may be low but the successes have been few andthe IPR is complex as it is difficult to defend against genericsand competitors. Deals with large pharma companies aredifficult to negotiate as they are not used to this type ofdevelopment model.

Despite this there have been a number of successful companiesbased on repurposing and several huge exits such as New Riverfor $2.6bn. There is the promise of enormous untappedpotential within the existing pharmacopoeia.

PANELAndy Richards,(chair)TimSharpington,SerentisJulian Gilbert,Acacia PharmaPeter Stein,NorgineNigel Pitchford,Encore Ventures

a particular area and forge linkswith the opinion leaders.

Tim agreed that building upknowledge and bundling relateddrug developments helps theultimate exit strategy.

Nigel commented that VCs preferfocused companies for investmentand exit. If you are close to thephysician it is possible to see

the niches and they can berewarding.

How can you take developmentto market?

Clarifying the IP position is not easy.Some of the older drugs weredeveloped when our knowledge wasless detailed and therefore IP is lessspecific than more recentapplications. In some cases severalpatents exist, but there are waysforward. Peter suggested that theproduct is engineered so that it isdifficult to copy and this can createbarriers.

Alternatively the product can offersomething new by identifying asolution and delivering it in a

different way such as a new isomer,a different dosage or delivery e.g.controlled release.

What benefits doesrepurposing have over NewChemical Entity development?

Peter laughed and gave hiscompany Norgine as an example,stating that he has sales and is cashflow positive.

Julian pointed out that it is the sameprocess but that you have to workharder at commercial protection.

The advantage is that it is possibleto manage risk by using knowndrugs which removes the need fortoxicity testing.

Tim cited that the speed ofdevelopment is faster as it ispossible to ask the key questionsearlier. Nigel believed the processprovides an attractive package foran investor. There is usually acredible team with good trackrecord and scientific knowledge.

The expectation of an investor is areturn of between two and fourtimes the investment which may notseem a lot but requires a strongpipeline of products in order todeliver.

Novel science caught the eye of judges for the 2009 ERBI Award forInnovation. Senexis’ work targeting Alzheimer's disease was seen to offernew approaches, within an exciting area of emerging science, directed ata growing area of unmet need.

Senexis CEO Mark Treherne accepted the award from sponsor SueDunkerton, Director of HealthTech & Medicines KTN.

Sue Dunkerton comments that through the awards ERBI is helping tocelebrate success and support the culture of innovation and continuousimprovement: “To truly exploit their ideas, companies need the ability tosteer their way through the innovation and adoption processes. One keyword is perseverance, which companies need in spades, and the East ofEngland has an amazing source of fellow businesses and skill sets thathelp all stages,” she says.

Mark Treherne demonstrates well that tenacity. He has over 25 yearsexperience in the discovery of novel treatments for diseases of the centraland peripheral nervous systems including Parkinson's and Alzheimer'sdiseases. His last company, Cambridge Drug Discovery, was sold for £28million in 2001. He joined Senexis in 2002 and the company has raised£6.3 million since that date.

Senexis is targeting Alzheimer's disease. There are currently no disease-modifying drugs available to treat this type of chronic degenerativecondition and there is an urgent need for new treatments that target theunderlying causes. Following work on a totally novel and uniquetherapeutic approach targeted at brain inflammation,Senexis has discovered new drug candidates thatdemonstrate significant efficacy within models ofmemory and learning. The company has filed a patentto protect this groundbreaking work.

Mark comments that the multinational pharmaceuticalsector is very interested in the potential of disease-modifying medicines. “The pharmaceutical sector islooking for new truly differentiated products and weare addressing a novel science. The prevalence ofnearly all major non-infectious diseases increases with

age. We have recently begun to understand the impact of aging on theturnover of proteins and this underlies many significant diseases. This isan emerging field and we are in a pole position to explore and exploit thepotential of this knowledge.”

“The quality of science and people in the region's biotech cluster is asstrong as ever and the creation of a new biomed campus is to bewelcomed. Although the VC community is suffering, for areas of realunmet medical need there is always a market and corporate venturing aswell as venture philanthropy is on the rise.” Mark believes that being partof a cluster that is expanding internationally is good for all the players.

Harriet Fear CEO of ERBI says that the calibre of entrants for theawards was very high. “We are thrilled to be seeing new areas ofscience with great commercial potential. We believe celebrating success,telling strong stories and highlighting opportunities for our members,potential members and the sector as a whole is incredibly important.”

The other two short listed candidates show innovation directed at otherkey disease areas. Biotica is focused on developing a treatment forpatients with severe asthma. Biotica is using novoPT to create analoguesof FK506 that share its immunosuppressant qualities - it is shown to havebenefits for asthma - but lack the systemic side effects.

Horizon Discovery is aimed at accelerating the development of nichecancer treatments. Horizon has created over 150 genetically definedhuman cancer cell models that enable the development of drugs and

diagnostics targeted for aspecific genetic profile.

SENEXIS NOVEL APPROACH WINS ERBI AWARD FOR INNOVATIONSponsor HealthTech & Medicines KTN celebrates culture of mutual support

Mark Treherne, Senexis CEO,accepts the 2009 ERBI Award forInnovation from sponsor SueDunkerton, Director of HealthTech &Medicines KTN and Barnaby Perks,Marketing Director of ERBI (left)

LEFT PAGE TOP:Julian Gilbert and Peter Stein.LEFT PAGE BOTTOM:Andy Richards.LEFT:William Baines.

FUTURE OF CONSUMERELECTRONICS IN HEALTHCARE

Opportunities

Janette outlined the bigopportunities for new technologieswithin healthcare.

A major opportunity lies inimproved prevention and earlydetection of disease. According toresearch by the Wellness & HealthInnovation Project, about 80 percent of heart disease and 50 percent of cancer is preventable, solifestyle management is vital.Opportunities also exist in theimprovement of assisted living in thecommunity, and in driving down thecost of treatment.

Janette believes that the consumermarket is ready to put its hand in itspocket and pay for products thathelp lifestyle management. In thisshe includes the ‘worried well’ whoare not currently receiving thereassurances they need, and shecites breast health in this category.Also long term patients for whom asmall amount of assistance canimprove their quality of life. Lastly,she mentions the carers, a growinggeneration of over-40s with highappreciation of technology and a

desire to keep their parents livingindependently for as long aspossible.

A significant change and a newdriver in the market has beeninterest from insurance companiesin reducing premiums for those whocan demonstrate that they aretaking measures to maintain theirfitness and optimum weight.

Need trusted channel tomarket

Janette continued that consumersexpect affordability and reliabilityand this is now coming together.She suggested that the price pointwill be right for the market in about5 to 10 years.

Mike Reilly of Orange interjectedthat the technology is not the issue.The products need to go to marketthrough the right channel and thereis a conflict in the market betweenhealthcare charities that should beregarded as enterprises, and thelarge consumer retailers such asTesco and Sainsburys, who aremoving into this area. He isconcerned there is a risk that thecharities will be disenfranchised, andthey have an important role in theendorsement of products.

Janette agreed and stressed the roleof charities in the success of aproduct. The Breastlight productwas only adopted by BootsHealthcare after Cancer ResearchUK was prepared to sanction it.Mike also explained how the trustcreated by endorsement extendedto the retail outlet. When Orangeworked with Mondail Assistance todevelop a product for lone workers,the initial launch through Orangeshops had been a failure as peopledidn’t associate the brand withsafety. The product was relaunchedwith a major provider of careproducts that already had tractionin the market and it was a greatsuccess.

Hans agreed but felt that theobstacles were different for variousmarket sectors. For theprofessional market the issue is‘who will pay’, while for the

consumer the question is ‘how tomotivate’.

Engagement with healthcareprofessionals

Bill raised concerns over the use ofhome diagnostic monitors andsensors. What if the equipmentbecomes faulty and gives a falsenegative or a false positive?

The role of medical professionals iskey to facilitating the introductionof the technology and also ensuringthat it is fit for purpose. Hansexplained the different phases asacquisition of data, analysis of data,analysis of time series data, securetransmission and then agreedtriggers for action.

Mike has seen good responses fromhealthcare professionals where newtechnology has reduced theadministrative burden, and cited anexample where midwives had beengiven Blackberries with a type textfunction. Handwritten notes areconverted into text andautomatically updated on the serversaving an hour a day of themidwife’s time.

The success of this project waslargely down to an analysis of thework flow in the field. An accurateassessment was made of the timespent on activities and thebottlenecks and the impact onefficiency. When the technologywas introduced the improvementcould be quantified and theusers could appreciate thebenefit. As a result Michael feltthat the Strategic Health Authorityplays a key role in the success ofsuch projects as compliance isneeded to change the workpractices.

Motivating consumers

Bill described the three strategiesfor motivating consumers aseducation, incentives andpunishment.

Janette said that some initiativesusing social media and an elementof competition had shown somepromise in trials with young people.

Coordinated by Electronics KTN

For the first time the number of people globally aged over 65may exceed the number of under-5s. The impact on healthcareis immense as over 70 per cent of this elderly generation hasmore than one long term condition - the cost of caring for thosewith diabetes some say could bust the NHS budget in years tocome. In short, the situation is unsustainable.

The panel saw a wealth of opportunities and growing interestfrom the insurance industry for lifestyle management products.

PANELBill Munday,blueAid (chair)Andrew Elder,Albion Ventures LLPJanette Hughes,Wellness & HealthInnovation ProjectMichael Reilly,Orange HealthcareJW (Hans)Hofstraat,HealthcareStrategicPartnerships, PhilipsResearch

TOP: Bill Munday. BOTTOM: JW (Hans) Hofstraat.

Michael agreed, commenting thatthe social element was oftenoverlooked by the healthcareindustry but that loneliness can becorrosive on a person’s sense ofwellbeing. He went on to say thatengagement was particularlyimportant for vulnerable sections ofthe population, and stressed thattechnologies that help ethnicminorities and other hard-to-reachgroups are of particular interest tohealth authorities.

Does it need to be a phone?

The panellists didn’t believe that thedevice should be restricted to theconcept of a mobile phone.

Hans said that a big area of unmetneed was monitoring people withimpaired respiratory function. Most

complications happen at night whenthey are lying down and themajority of people with thiscondition die in their sleep.

Sensors in clothing may be a bettersolution for these patients. Janettealso pointed out that most over-80sdon’t have a mobile phone. Bill saidthat the issue with mobile handsetsis cross platform incompatibilitywhich makes producing a massmarket product difficult.

A possible way forward is theContinua Health Alliance which issupporting the development of asoftware protocol for electronictransfer of data from medicaldevices and it is hoped this willbecome the de facto industrystandard. Philips has alreadyadopted it.

A holistic approach to a group of devastating illnesses won the respect ofjudges for the 2009 ERBI NHS Partnership Award. The PHG Foundation,which bridges the gap between exploratory science and clinical practice,gained the award for its report on the inherited cardiovascular conditionsthat, for example, cause sudden death in seemingly healthy young people.It demonstrated how the latest advances could help improve diagnosis,care and prevention.

This Award was sponsored by NHS East of England. Head of InnovationKate Gill comments that the region has an ambitious vision for 21stcentury healthcare: “The ERBI awards help to identify groundbreakingnew innovations and play an important part in improving the workingrelationship between industry and the NHS, which is fundamental toincreasing our rate of innovation.

“We need both large scale and smaller scale innovations, and some ofthese will be 'big ideas'. However, it is just as important that we haveideas to improve the level of integration of innovations into current ornew patient care pathways and improve the quality and effectiveness ofthe care provided for patients.”

The PHG Foundation project showed how the latest knowledge could befast-tracked in order to provide improved and accessible care for patientsand families.

Carol Lyon, Operations Director for PHG Foundation,explained what the report revealed: "In the last fewyears our knowledge of the genetic basis of certaindiseases has led to the development of new genetictests that can not only aid diagnosis but also informpreventative care for patients and their families.

“We have also seen new developments in electro-physiology, echocardiography and imaging. We sawthe potential for using these technologies in thetreatment of inherited cardiac conditions, which affect340,000 people in the UK. Outside a very few

specialist centres, people with heart problems are traditionally cared forby cardiovascular specialists. Our recommendation is that a multi-disciplinary team is required.

“Another area of concern is the support for other family members afterthe loss of a child. The Coroner is unable to retain tissue for furtheranalysis and this means that valuable information that could be used toprotect siblings is destroyed.”

The Department of Health Heart Team has been enthusiastic about theissues raised by PHG Foundation, and Carol is concerned to see that, inthe face of difficult public spending conditions, progress is maintained inimplementing the lifesaving recommendations.

“Winning the ERBI Award is important to us as it recognises our hugecommitment to partnership with the NHS, as well as highlighting thisreport and the need for further action to adopt these recommendations,”she commented.

Harriet Fear, CEO of ERBI, says that the NHS Partnerships Award isvaluable as it celebrates projects that could have patient benefit in thenear term:

“Understanding the end user of the service or technology is offundamental importance. For example, we welcome the development of a

Biomedical Park in the region,which will help bring science,business and health provisioncloser together – an exceptionalexample of the whole model of‘open innovation’ in practice.”

Carol Lyon, Operations Director forPHG Foundation accepts the 2009ERBI NHS Partnerships Award fromKate Gill, Head of Innovation, NHSEast of England (right) and BarnabyPerks Marketing Director ERBI

PHG SUDDEN DEATH PROJECT WINS HEARTS OF ERBI JUDGESPartnership is NHS East of England vision for 21st Century

‘I thought the conference was first class. The calibre of the diversepanel members were impressive, and I found the discussions

generated by the attendees very stimulating.I was very intrigued by the one-on-one meetings that were arranged

at the Bench2Boardroom’....Jae Son, Medical Tactile, Inc.

ABOVE: Jae Son.RIGHT TOP: Janette Hughes.BOTTOM: Michael Reily.

CEO Breakfast

Are you aware of newshipping securityregulations?

Sue Lee of World Courierexplained how newregulations about cargoscreening - to be phased inover the next 18 months - aregoing to affect shipments, andhow to ensure that high valuepharmaceutical materials arekept safe from sniffer dogsand the new screeningtechnologies.

Her recommendationsincluded packaging samples insolid boxes as these are givengreater respect by cargohandlers, and to seek adviceon labelling, as 2D barcodesand new RFID technologiesare being introduced.

World Courier specialises inworldwide time andtemperature sensitivetransportation, and is theonly courier of this kind tooffer a worldwide network ofoffices operating 24 hours aday. It manages the logisticsof over 7,500 clinical trialsworldwide.

Speaking ‘International English’ and a culture of qualityare part of the winning formula that has made MelbournScientific attractive to international pharma andmedtech clients and has gained it the 2009 ERBI ExportAchievement Award sponsored by East of EnglandInternational.

Melbourn Scientific is a leading provider of contractanalytical and formulation services for thepharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries.It has made phenomenal progress this year withsustained growth from across the globe. Theproportion of work from overseas companies is now fivetimes that of five years ago and work with clients fromover a dozen different countries makes up 37 percent ofthe company’s turnover.

The company has worked closely with EEI and has beenpraised by Dave Revitt, Regional International TradeAdvisor (Healthcare) who comments that the ERBIawards are an excellent way of sharing good practice:

“Now is a good time to export and seeking advice canreduce the risks, whether this is in market research andintelligence or simply finding a foreign partner. AsMelbourn has found, UKTI assistance and a strong clientfocus can smooth the way to successful export sales.”

CEO Mark Hammond was one of 100 business leaderscongratulated by PM Gordon Brown earlier this year onthe company’s export achievements and he believes thatthe UK’s stringent regulatory framework benefitscompanies like his.

“The UK has a strong reputation for innovation andregulation and this works in our favour as it providesconfidence for international clients for whom the aim isoften to gain FDA approval for drugs or devices. Datais the lifeblood of the industry and we have put qualityat the core of our organisation.”

Melbourn has also encouraged greater cultural diversitywithin the company and concentrated on improvingcommunication skills and practices to make thecompany more ‘international’ in its outlook.

Harriet Fear, CEO of ERBI, says that cultivating a globaloutlook is vital for companies of all sizes.

“Companies need to be thinking internationally fromday one. At ERBI we are actively creating links with ouropposite numbers in other countries to facilitate this andprovide an inside track to better communications.”

ENGLISH AS OTHERS SPEAK IT WINSMELBOURN ERBI EXPORT AWARDEEI commends fact finding approach to export

ABOVE: Mark Hammond, Martin Westcott and SteveWestcott of Melbourn Scientific.

The clear message from theTechnology Strategy Board is thatthere are numerous pots of moneyavailable for innovation in thehealthcare sector, but you have tobe clear what type of support youneed and who to pitch to. One ofthe most exciting developments isthe Small Business ResearchInitiative (SBRI) which providescontracts for innovation aimed atclearly identified areas of unmetneed.

This is brilliant on two accounts: Itis payment of work so does notrequire match funding or re-payment, and it provides access toa real customer with real needs so

providing proof of concept forfuture market penetration.

The intellectual property remainswith the company but DoH hasusage rights. One of the firstcompanies to benefit from SBRI isSonovia founder Peter Luebcke,who comments "Being one of thefew companies selected to receive aSBRI phase 1 contract is excellentnews for Sonovia as this validatesthe versatility of our technology andits alignment with a very realhealthcare need in the NHS."

Another initiative is thedevelopment of innovationplatforms, which are aimed at

stimulating innovation to supportthe implementation of majorpolicies and societal challenges.Examples include the Assisted LivingInnovation Platform and theInnovation Platform for Detectionand Identification of InfectiousAgents. There is a January call forapplications.

Also coming up is the BioprocessingResearch Industry Club (BRIC) witha second round of funding to beannounced in November.

Further information is available on theERBI website.

Event organised by:

ERBI,Meditrina Building, BabrahamResearch Campus, Cambridge,CB22 3AT

Tel: +44 (0) 1223 497400

Fax: +44 (0) 1223 497415

Website: www.erbi.co.uk

Email: info@erbi.co.uk

Corporate Sponsors:

Bench2Boardroom

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Pienary Sessions Evening Reception Ice Cream

B2B Sponsors