With the second edition of our newsletter safely under our belt it is worth noting just how many biotech on–line news sources there are – Eden was inundated by such companies after an article appeared in the FT on March 6 reporting the National Biomanufacturing Centre is now open for business! That said, thank you for all the (mostly) positive feedback on the first newsletter. I’d also like to say thank you to those of you who managed to make it to our Cambridge networking event on the 23 March – I hope you all enjoyed it. It’s good to see that even people from CAT know how to abuse a free bar!

Our Cambridge networking event was an opportunity for the local biotech community to meet and mingle – the purpose, as always, is purely social. We don’t do any hard selling – it’s a chance to network and have a glass of wine or several. We try and organise events that we’d like to go to! It also provides our biotech press with a relaxed forum to find out recent developments in our industry and plan for future articles.


Philip Ball (Eden Biodesign), Wyn Forrest Owen and Ali Ridley (Cambridge Antibody Technologies) at Cambridge Event, 23rd March 2006


The Chancellor’s budget speech was welcomed by biotechnology industries, as he announced plans to extend an already generous research and development tax relief to mid–tier companies, but expressed concerns about start–ups attaining the same level of support.

The Chancellor has proposed that the headcount limit on companies should be raised so that 150 per cent tax relief on R&D expenditure from 250 to 500 employees can be claimed.

His budget contained a number of measures to make science more of a priority in schools, ranging from targets to increase the number of students doing A–levels in sciences and maths, to the provision of after–school clubs. In terms of R&D, an annual fund of around 1bn will be allotted to research into new treatments.

This month, Nature Genetics published findings by scientists who have identified the gene defect responsible for most cases of eczema and asthma. The team, led by Prof Irwin McLean, a geneticist at the University of Dundee, took two years to analyse the ‘very difficult’ gene after some of the world’s leading genetics laboratories admitted defeat.

Eczema, affecting one in 12 adults in the UK, is generally caused by a genetic mutation that leads to a deficiency of the protein filaggrin, which provides a protective barrier in the outer layer of the skin. In people with genetic mutations, foreign substances easily enter the skin and can be seen by the immune system, leading to eczema. Asthma can also be the result of foreign substances entering the lungs.

Six volunteers testing a new anti–inflammatory drug for TeGenero, the German biotechnology company, were taken seriously ill at a private facility at Northwick Park hospital, northwest London, after they were poisoned by an exploratory drug, TGN1412.

The drug is designed to treat rheumatoid arthritis, leukaemia and multiple sclerosis and is a monoclonal antibody stimulating the production of more white blood cells, known as T–lymphocytes. Inflammatory reactions in rheumatoid arthritis, for example, are caused by too many cells in the immune system being turned on, and the drug is an attempt to turn on other cells with the power to switch off troublemakers.



February saw us informally open the NBC laboratories and process development suites. It was fitting that Anita, Eden’s Science Director, was the opening event guest of honour. Anita put a great deal of knowledge and effort into the laboratory design, and has recently returned to work following a long lay off. We think she’s a much bigger crowd pleaser than Gordon Brown! – who has been invited to formally open the NBC much later in the year.


Crawford Brown (CEO) and Anita Bate (Science Director) at the opening of the NBC labs, 8th March

We are at a time when we seem to have a new arrival every week! Since the last newsletter Ralph Davidson has joined as GMP Team Leader – bringing a wealth of experience from Medimmune amongst other companies. Dr David Simpson, our new Senior Molecular Biologist, has also brought much sort after expertise in expression system development. Dr Tamara Tugal has joined us from Lorantis as Business Development Manager – Tamara has already proved she knows a thing or two in the expensive restaurant selection – a key quality in BD!


Adherence to GMP Guidelines Critical for Gene Therapy
Whilst the concept of gene therapy is well established, it is still a young technology in terms of manufacturing writes Dr Anita Bate, Director of Science at Eden Biodesign. There are no licensed products in routine clinical distribution and use.

There are currently around one thousand gene transfer clinical trials in progress worldwide including 67% in America and 28% in Europe (Journal of Gene Medicine, 2004). Most of these trials are in clinical Phase I and early Phase II (around 80%), with only 1.7% so far reaching Phase III. By far the largest indication for gene transfer is Cancer which accounts for 66% of the clinical trials, however there are still a significant number for Monogenic Disease (9%), Vascular diseases (8%) and Infectious diseases (7%). The vast majority of these products use viruses as the vector for gene transfer (70%).
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