Firm develops drug contamination test
BIOPHYSICS company Avacta has launched a new detection service for the biopharmaceutical industry.
Avacta has developed a test to detect contamination in drug development process and production.
Dubbed its ‘quantitative polymerase chain reaction’ (QPCR) test, Avacta hopes it will allow it to extend its reach into the biopharmaceutical sector.
The firm, which was spun out of Leeds University and is based at York Science Centre, said owing to the importance of ensuring potential drugs are free from contamination, its service should help win more high-value contracts including the analysis of clinical samples.
Chief executive Alastair Smith said: “The expansion of Avacta’s analytical services is key to providing a comprehensive one-stop-shop to the biopharmaceutical sector, underpinning revenue growth and market presence in our core market for technology products to be launched in due course.
“Safety testing of biopharmaceutical products and the cells/additives used to produce them is a mandatory safety requirement during each stage of drug development, meaning there are significant opportunities for revenue generation and rapid market penetration.
“It’s another very solid step forward for Avacta in our development of a high quality, comprehensive service to the biopharmaceutical sector and follows on from our launch of the Biophysical Toolkit and the ViVax Toolkit last year.”
The company is due to announce its annual results in October.
Avacta was spun out from the University of Leeds in 2004 as a biophysics company, with the aim of combining thedisciplines of physics and biology to develop innovative technologies and expert technical services to address needs in the pharmaceutical, defence andclinical diagnostics markets.
