Innovative biotech receives the UK’s highest accolade for business success
UK-based biotechnology company Retrogenix Limited today announces that it has won the Queen’s Award for Innovation in recognition of the success of its human cell microarray technology in advancing medical research and speeding up pharmaceutical discovery. The awards, which are made each year by Her Majesty the Queen, are the UK’s most prestigious acknowledgement of business performance, requiring the highest levels of excellence to be demonstrated in each category.
Retrogenix has developed a unique technology for identifying specific interactions that occur between a test molecule and proteins on the surface of human cells. This is a critical step in many biological research projects which has traditionally posed a major bottleneck due to the limitations of the techniques that were previously available. The new technology is saving millions of pounds in research costs and preventing unnecessary project delays as scientists receive faster, more accurate results, often at lower costs than investing in standard methods.
The innovation has helped researchers to understand a variety of different biological processes such as how a malaria parasite binds to blood vessels in the brain, or how a virus attaches to the human cell. It is also widely used by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for assessing how a particular drug works and whether it might have toxic effects. As such, the technology is facilitating advances in medical research which will ultimately lead to novel vaccines and therapies for patients.
Co-founded in 2008 by scientists Dr Jim Freeth and Jo Soden, Retrogenix has brought stable, high tech jobs to Whaley Bridge in the Peak District where the company is head-quartered. With almost 70% of its trade overseas, the company is contributing to the wider UK economy as well as bolstering the UK’s position as a leader in innovative science and technology.
Dr Jim Freeth, Managing Director of Retrogenix, said: “It is an honour to receive the Queens’ Award for Innovation. The novel approach and high success rate of our human cell microarray technology has allowed us to develop great working relationships with many of the world’s major pharmaceutical companies and leading academic groups, advancing their research and development and supporting breakthroughs in medical research and pharmaceutical discovery.”
Executive Director, Jo Soden added: “We have a fantastic team here at Retrogenix and we continue to expand the company and invest in innovation in order to further increase the value of our technology.”
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