Revolutionary new drugs have been developed by university academics – transforming fruits from the seabed to the sick-bed.
Enzymes from reef-dwelling organisms are being made into medication which may be used to fight cancer, inflammatory and auto-immune diseases.
The move will be spearheaded by a new company formed by research carried out at the universities of Aberdeen and St Andrews.
Two chemistry teams have found a way of creating a new class of therapeutic drugs, called macrocycles, which can address a number of poorly-treated conditions.
Professor Marcel Jaspars, from Aberdeen University, and Professor Jim Naismith, from St Andrews University, have joined with company builder Bill Primrose to form Ripptide Pharma.
Prof Jaspars said: “The new technology is based on a set of enzymes, isolated from marine organisms – blue green algae living inside sea squirts – which can create and modify macrocycles.”
Mr Primrose, director of Ripptide said: “I have known Marcel and Jim’s work for a number of years and am delighted to be given the opportunity to spearhead its commercialisation.
“Its potential is shown by the considerable interest we have already received from potential Pharma partners.”
The project is supported by The Scottish Enterprise High Growth Spin-Out Programme.
Eleanor Mitchell, director of High Growth Ventures at Scottish Enterprise, said: “We are very excited to be supporting a project with the potential to create high value jobs in Scotland and to provide such significant value-add to Scotland’s life sciences industry.”
