Universities and firms join forces for new methods of virus testing

Coronavirus-related projects in the north-east involve teams at Aberdeen University and local life sciences companies including Elasmogen and Vertebrate Antibodies.

They include the development of new methods of testing and screening for Covid-19, and data gathering to map the needs of those people who are most vulnerable to the virus. Other research is focused on the impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers.

NovaBiotics, the Aberdeen-based clinical stage antimicrobials drug discovery company, has announced the rapid repurposing of its experimental drug Nylexa for secondary bacterial lung infections underlying Covid-19.

Opportunity North East (One) life sciences sector board chairman Professor Stephen Logan said other new opportunities were emerging, adding: “Digital ways of working have been introduced, with patients and clinicians engaging remotely to a far greater extent than before the pandemic.”

The current accelerated approach to vaccine development may help to reduce the time and cost of clinically testing new drugs, allowing some north-east firms to bring treatments to the market quicker, he said.

Prof Logan said the ongoing drive by One and its partners to grow the sector would “anchor businesses in the region and grow our company cluster”.

He added: “The collective effort in the sector – across our companies, academics and clinicians – will ensure that life sciences is a driver of long-term economic diversity and resilience.”

Professor Stephen Logan