Biopta wins £575,000 drug-testing boost

By Alastair Reed, The Scotsman

BIOPTA, the Glasgow-based life sciences company, has raised £575,000 in first round funding to speed up the development of its state-of-the-art drug testing systems. The Glasgow Caledonian University spin-out is developing a series of instruments that will test the performance of new drugs on living human tissue.

Chief operating officer Dr David Bunton told The Scotsman that the "Perf-Exion" range of instruments not only provides more realistic results than traditional methods of testing, but also that it will also significantly reduce the industry's reliance on animal testing.

"In many cases, drugs reach clinical trials without ever having met any human biology, or at best tests on single cells," he said. "So perhaps it isn't surprising that many produce unexpected effects when the drug is first administered to patients and volunteers."

The withdrawal of late-stage drugs, such as Merck's VIOXX for example, could potentially have been avoided through the use of Biopta's screening technology. Biopta span out of the university in 2002 and has financed its development through a £30,000 angel investment, along with a small proof-of-concept grant. However, it is generating revenues of about £120,000 a year through testing for some of the larger pharmaceutical firms, including leading Danish firm Novo Nordisk.

With the global market estimated to be worth in the region of £100 million, Biopta has signed up Polaroid UK subsidiary "wideblue" to manufacture and distribute prototype instruments. Bunton said he expects the Perf-Exion range to be commercially available within 18 months.

"We're aiming to really push the sales and marketing side of the business," he said. "There's an over-reliance on animals, when human tissue is not only available but also provides far quicker and more accurate results."

He said that the human tissue used is left over from surgery, and which would otherwise be incinerated. He added that it is collected through the correct ethical channels and with appropriate patient consent.

The latest round of funding, which was led by investment syndicate Braveheart Ventures, leaves Bunton and co-founder Professor Chris Hillier with a combined stake of close to 50 per cent.