21 December 2010 -- Source BioScience plc (LSE: SBS, “Source BioScience”, “the Group”), the international diagnostic and genetic analysis business serving the healthcare and research markets, has been selected as a preferred supplier of DNA Sequencing by RCUK Shared Services Centre Ltd (RCUK) following a competitive tender.
Highlights - Initial contract to provide DNA sequencing for the next two years, with the option to extend to three years
- Expected revenue of at least £0.5 million per annum
- The contract represents a single procurement process on behalf of the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and others
- The contract is an extension of previously renewed awards from the MRC which originated in 2003. The agreement means Source BioScience’s DNA sequencing services are now available to all RCUK laboratories Source BioScience has a strong track record and has established itself as the leading commercial provider of DNA sequencing in the UK. The Company operates a network of laboratory facilities with operations in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Nottingham and Dublin. These local facilities provide customers with immediate access to a high quality service centred on the best laboratory practices and latest research tools with the fastest delivery of DNA sequencing data.
Dr Nick Ash, CEO said: “Winning this tender is a real vote of confidence in Source BioScience’s DNA sequencing services by the leading national research bodies in the UK. We look forward to offering our services to the wider community of research councils in addition to the MRC. Our service is the fastest, the highest quality and provides the best customer service. We are proud, therefore, that as a UK company, these qualities have been recognised by the RCUK against a strong international field. Our growth in this area is something we are very proud of and this new contract opens up new UK business to us which is great news.”
Richard Fowles for RCUK SSC Ltd added: “We put out this tender to a wide range of international companies and chose Source BioScience as one of our preferred suppliers on the strength of its services and reputation for DNA sequencing. We look forward to working with them with the aim of nurturing the highest quality research.”
For further information:
Source BioScience plc Dr Nick Ash Chief Executive Officer Tel: +44 (0)115 973 9010 nick.ash@sourcebioscience.com
Research Councils UK Shared Service Centre Richard Fowles Category Manager Tel: +44 (0)1223 497162 richard.fowles@ssc.rcuk.ac.uk
For media and investor enquiries: Singer Capital Markets (Financial Advisor and Broker) Shaun Dobson/Claes Spang Tel: +44 (0)203 205 7500 www.singercm.com
College Hill Melanie Toyne Sewell/Anastasios Koutsos Tel: +44 (0)207 457 2020 mtoynesewell@collegehill.com
Source BioScience Source BioScience plc (LSE: SBS) is an international diagnostic and genetic analysis business serving the healthcare and research markets.
Its Healthcare operations provide screening and reference laboratory diagnostic testing for cancer and other diseases and additional predictive testing for treatment optimisation for clinicians and patients. PharmaBiotech Services offers support for early stage therapeutic development, offering a ‘one-stop shop’ from tissue pathology, immunohistochemistry, sophisticated image analysis, biomarker determination and assay development to pharmacogenomics including genotyping and gene expression analysis. The LifeSciences division provides core laboratory research support from conceptualisation to implementation, calling upon a wide range of cutting-edge technology platforms including an online catalogue of biomolecular tools. This incorporates next generation sequencing, conventional sequencing, microarray analysis and whole genome amplification in addition to a comprehensive library of genomic reagents and clones including cDNA and RNAi, as well as facilitating rapid access to high quality antibodies, cell cultures, diagnostic assays for cancer and other genetic testing, and related research tools.
The Group has its headquarters in Nottingham, UK where it operates state of the art reference laboratory facilities, with additional UK laboratory facilities in London, Cambridge and Oxford and European facilities in Berlin and Dublin. Source BioScience is CPA, GLP and GCP accredited and is licensed by the Human Tissue Authority. Further information about Source BioScience can be found at www.sourcebioscience.com
Research Councils UK Research Councils UK is the strategic partnership of the UK’s seven Research Councils. It invests annually around £3 billion in research. Its focus is on excellence with impact. It nurtures the highest quality research, as judged by international peer review providing the UK with a competitive advantage. Global research requires we sustain a diversity of funding approaches, fostering international collaborations, and providing access to the best facilities and infrastructure, and locating skilled researchers in stimulating environments. Our research achieves impact – the demonstrable contribution to society and the economy made by knowledge and skilled people. To deliver impact, researchers and businesses need to engage and collaborate with the public, business, government and charitable organisations. www.rcuk.ac.uk
The seven UK Research Councils are:
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
