BioCity Nottingham experience offers Pfizer hope

A significant number of new, innovative pharmaceutical companies could emerge from the releasing of talented Pfizer scientists according to BioCity Nottingham, Europe’s fastest-growing bioscience business incubator. Just a year ago, BioCity responded to the Astra Zeneca Charnwood closure plans by offering a package of support to former employees including training, advice and office or lab accommodation. As a direct result several new ventures have emerged. Such immediate and practical intervention provides a model to both government and the pharmaceutical industry looking to take some of the pain out of the recent announcement.

Commentators including David Willetts, Minister of State for Universities and Science have highlighted the structural changes in the international pharmaceutical sector which are seeing the development and trial of new drugs undertaken by small and medium sized companies rather than global pharmaceutical companies. This trend is set to continue and is to be welcomed by progressive thinkers in the industry.

Dr Glenn Crocker, Chief Executive of BioCity Nottingham and author of the recent “UK Life Sciences Start up Report” emphasises that if the UK is to build on its strong position in the life sciences it has to nurture and help such smaller firms.

“There is an enormous difference between undertaking research and development within a global pharmaceutical company and undertaking the same work as an entrepreneur, running your own business. Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, but for those that have the attributes and drive to create their own business it is vital that they are supported to develop the commercial skills to thrive in this entirely new environment.

Facilities like BioCity in Nottingham, and others across the UK, are providing these scientists with an environment in which they can find the support they need to plot a commercial path to success”.

To illustrate how the Pfizer situation could be turned to advantage, Dr Crocker points to the action that BioCity took when the closure of a similar site at AstraZeneca Charnwood was announced last March. Although in both cases site closure is over an extended period, immediate action was taken to offer help. Places were made available for AstraZeneca employees on the Bio-Entrepreneur School, a three day training programme that allows scientists to explore what it takes to be an entrepreneur. In addition, up to 12 months free lab accommodation in BioCIty was made available for AstraZeneca employees.

Sarah Hill, a clinical researcher shortly to leave AstraZenecais about to launch Genios Limited after a year’s support from BioCity: “The Bio-Entrepreneur School helped me to focus my ideas at a time when the future looked pretty bleak. I went on to take advice from the BioCity incubation manager Dr Nick Gostick and pitched my idea to win a place on the Germinator Programme. Since then I have worked with a specialist mentor and used free office space to carry out my market research and business planning. We launch this summer with two employees and a further two jobs planned.”

Former Global Discipline Leader for Pharmacometrics at Astra Zeneca, Joachim Grevel, has based his new business BAST Limited in BioCity to take advantage of the attractive start up package, vibrant networking and practical support. “We are impressed by the growing international reputation of BioCity and know this will be a good base from which to serve our clients in Germany, Switzerland and the UK.”

BioCity is making the same offer of support to Pfizer employees. The 2011 BioCity Bootcamp (formerly the Bio-Entrepreneur School) is running again from 6-8 April. Pfizer employees who chose to relocate to the East Midlands to start a new pharmaceutical venture will be able to benefit from the offer of 12 months free accommodation at BioCity.

For details of the BioCity Boot Camp go to http://bootcamp.biocity.co.uk/