Mark Sanders, European Regional Director, talks about Pharmaxis at Bedford i-lab. Sept 2007
"Pharmaxis Pharmaceuticals Ltd established its first UK office at Bedford i-lab in October 2006, with just 2 employees.
As the first step towards a European presence for this Australian company it was essential to find a location where a minimum of time was spent on office logistics and a maximum of time devoted to developing the business, i-lab was the ideal choice.
With the services offered by the i-lab team itself and those of several other tenants, the Pharmaxis team was able to establish and thrive. By January the team had reached four and currently it stands at seven.
During this time, our first product was approved and launched, for diagnosis of asthma, in Sweden, and then approved in 12 other EU countries, including the UK. The Pharmaxis team have satisfied UK authorities and achieved the necessary authorisation to supply pharmaceuticals in the UK, and are now heading towards the UK and other European launches.
Another important activity taking place in the UK, and managed by the team, is a clinical study in cystic fibrosis, this follows a successful study that has just been completed in another pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis. With this therapeutic opportunity firmly in its grips Pharmaxis is looking to expand its presence.
The need to be much closer to the pharmaceutical cluster around the A1 at Stevenage as we also need a larger space and additional people has meant that Pharmaxis will relocate its business to this area, using the 1-month flexibility within the terms, but it has chosen to follow the model that has worked so well at i-lab, by moving to another incubator facility. The local air-links at Luton will also facilitate growing the European part of the business.
Bedford i-lab; straightforward...it works!"
Mark Sanders
European Regional Director
Pharmaxis Pharmaceuticals Ltd
