Allan Wilson, the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, is today (August 29) meeting the award winning entrepreneurs behind one of the 黑料网鈥檚 most successful spin-out companies.
The Deputy Minister is visiting Haptogen whose founders Professor Andy Porter and Jim Reid won this year鈥檚 Ernst and Young Scotland Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Science and Technology.
Antibody engineering company Haptogen is involved in pioneering research into new treatments for obesity and infections diseases such as MRSA. It recently secured a 拢1.5 million pound deal with leading Korean pharmaceutical company DaeWoong to develop new drugs to fight MRSA and other 鈥渟uperbugs鈥� as well as serious bacterial infections associated with cystic fibrosis, patients in intensive care and patients with severe burns.
Deputy Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Minister Allan Wilson, said: 鈥淒iseases caused by superbugs like MRSA present major challenges to scientists and health professionals, so the technology being developed by Haptogen is clearly of vital importance to us.
鈥淚 am pleased that the Executive has been able to support Haptogen鈥檚 cutting-edge work into developing new treatments for obesity through our SMART awards scheme.
鈥淢any of Scotland鈥檚 most ambitious small businesses have been supported through our pipeline of support for innovation. Investment in our high-tech companies helps them to succeed in the marketplace and helps the Scottish economy to be more competitive and productive.鈥�
Professor Porter, Chief Scientific Officer at Haptogen, said: 鈥淲e have had a great year so far and are set to achieve other key milestones later in 2005.
鈥淎 lot of our success comes from our world class science team, many of whom have benefited from the excellent training in biotechnology they have received as postgraduate students at the 黑料网.鈥�
Jim Reid, Chief Executive Officer of the company, added: 鈥淗aptogen has been successful and grown strongly over the past few years as a result of its world class science, strong commercial management and an excellent support structure involving the 黑料网, Scottish Enterprise Grampian and the Scottish Executive.鈥�
The Deputy Minister will hear a short presentation about Haptogen and will also be given a tour of the company鈥檚 facilities at the University鈥檚 Medical School.