HM the Queen welcomes winners of the 2015 Queen’s Award for Enterprise
Whaley Bridge, UK and Cambridge, MA, 29th July 2015. Staff at fast-growing biotech Retrogenix have this month received royal recognition for the development and commercialization of the company’s proprietary plasma membrane protein array technology. The platform, which is accessed widely across the pharma industry, pinpoints the primary receptors of antibodies, viruses and other biological ligands as well as identifying off-target binding of biotherapeutics for early safety assessment.
Retrogenix’s co-founders, Dr Jim Freeth and Jo Soden, were invited to Buckingham Palace following the announcement earlier this year that the company had been selected to receive the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
The winners’ reception, held on 14th July, was hosted by Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. Other senior members of the royal family were also in attendance at the event, which brought together representatives from all the British companies that were successful in the 2015 round of awards.
The Queen’s Award – which is valid for five years – is the UK’s most respected acknowledgement of business performance, requiring the highest levels of excellence to be demonstrated in each award category. Awards are made by HM the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister following an assessment by leading individuals from industry, commerce, trade unions and government.
Reflecting on the event, Jo Soden, Executive Director of Retrogenix, said: “It is an honour to be one of only 24 UK companies receiving this year’s award for innovation as well as being invited to the Palace to celebrate that achievement. The atmosphere at the event was fantastic and it provided a great opportunity to meet people from a whole range of other firms that are making their mark either through technological development or outstanding business performance.”
Later this year, the Lord Lieutenant of the County who acts as the Queen’s representative, will visit the main laboratory facilities in Whaley Bridge, UK, to formally present the company with a Grant of Appointment and an engraved crystal bowl.
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