Chicago drug firm moves to Alderley Park
A CHICAGO diagnostics firm is the latest life sciences business to sign up to the BioHub at Alderley Park.
Hematogenix, which specialises in cancer diagnostics for large pharmaceutical firms, is making the site its European headquarters.
Founder Hytham Al-Masri told TheBusinessDesk.com that the company planned to hire 10-15 staff over the coming year, and most of them would be AstraZeneca scientists who have chosen not to move to the group’s new research base in Cambridge.
The BioHub is being overseen by a taskforce that was formed to keep science jobs in the area following AstraZeneca’s decision to move its research and development centre with the loss of 2,000 jobs. Other tenants include Blueberry Therapeutics, Imagen Biotech and Redx Anti-Infectives, a subsidiary of Liverpool-based Redx Pharma.
Mr Al-Masri said: “We wanted an operation in Europe and decided on the UK for its ease of transport and interest in life sciences. One of the main things that attracted us to this site was the world class facilities and the talent. All these reasons made this the best choice.”
Hematogenix has around 80 staff in the US and Mr Al-Masri said the business was worth around $200m. It works will all the major drug companies, such as AstraZeneca, Pfizer and GSK, which expect it to carry out trials around the world. Its next aim is to open a base in Asia.
