Pioneer of diabetic blood tests wins £2m payout

A SCIENTIST who pioneered technology to test blood sugar levels has been awarded £2 million in compensation by the UK’S highest court, after his invention made millions for his former employer.

Prof Ian Shanks developed a new system for measuring the concentration of glucose in blood and other liquids while working for a subsidiary of multinational giant Unilever in Bedfordshire in the Eighties.

In 1982, he used plastic film and glass slides from his daughter’s toy microscope kit, as well as bulldog clips to hold it together, to build the first prototype of what is now known as the electrochemical capillary fill device (ECFD).

It eventually appeared in most glucose testing products, many used by diabetics to monitor their condition.

Prof Shanks first applied for compensation in 2006 and lost every previous step of his 13-year legal battle. But giving judgment on Tuesday, the Supreme Court in London unanimously ruled in Prof Shanks’ favour, finding that his invention had provided his former employer with an “outstanding benefit” for which he should receive compensation.

Lord Kitchin said the rewards Unilever enjoyed “were substantial and significant, were generated at no significant risk, reflected a very high rate of return, and stood out in comparison with the benefit Unilever derived from other patents”.

The judge said Unilever’s net benefit from the patents was around £24million, and that Prof Shanks was “entitled to a fair share of that benefit amounting to £2million”.

Outlining the background to the case, Lord Kitchin said Prof Shanks accepted that the rights to his inventions belonged to Unilever, but argued that he was still entitled to compensation.