Company celebrates international deal Business park firm heralds licensing agreement with Japan
APIONEERING Runcorn biotech firm has struck an exclusive global licensing deal with a leading Japanese firm.
Spheritech, based at Heath Business and Technical Park (BTP), and Carus Animal Health will now work together to bring the firm’s SpheriSome(R) product to market as it once again pushed the envelope on the possibilities of biotech.
Carus Animal Health is part of Kyoritsu Seiyaku, the largest distributor of animal health products in Japan.
The deal is part of a Carus drive to identity and develop new technologies for use in animal health.
Dr Don Wellings, SpheriTech’s managing director and founder, said the deal is a major development for his firm, which he launched in 2009 having previously worked for firms including ICI, Zeneca and Avecia.
The SpheriSome is the latest in a string of groundbreaking innovations pioneered by the company.
Dr Wellings said: “We’re delighted to have reached this agreement with Carus Animal Health and look forward to seeing our technology applied to develop new veterinary solutions.
“The agreement with Carus provides a terrific opportunity for commercialisation of our SpheriSome® technology and reflects our strategic plan of licensing the technology into a wide spectrum of application areas in human and animal healthcare, antimicrobial applications and as an alternative to microplastics.”
Jolian Howell, Carus Animal Health chief commercial officer, said: “There is great potential for SpheriSome® technology in animal healthcare, especially as the sector reduces its reliance on antibiotics.
“SpheriSomes are just the sort of cutting edge, innovative technology we were established by our parent company, Kyoritsu Seiyaku Corporation, to focus on and develop.”