Science park owners pay tribute to tenants responding to COVID-19

Published by

Nicky Godding

The owners of a leading UK science and technology park, in Oxford have paid tribute to a number of tenant companies which are responding to the COVID-19 epidemic, including important R&D and clinical support services.

Piers Scrimshaw-Wright, Chief Executive of The Oxford Science Park, said, ‘The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges across many areas of activity, not least the need for new drugs and vaccines. We are proud to say that occupiers across the Park have mounted a fantastic response to the crisis caused by the virus. The Oxford Science Park is pleased to be able to support them in their work during this challenging time."

Biotech company ATDBio is producing oligonucleotides for R&D, including development of novel faster diagnostics for COVID-19. Some of these are already being evaluated in the clinic;

Exscientia, the leading AI-driven drug discovery company, is working with Diamond Light Source (the UK’s national synchrotron facility in Oxford) and Scripps Research in the US to progress compounds that could rapidly become viable drugs for COVID-19;

Oxford Nanopore Technologies is working with global public health laboratories and other researchers in rapid sequencing of the novel coronavirus, leading to the speedy sharing of genomic data which is key to an effective public health response;

OXGENE and The Native Antigen Company (also located in Oxford) are collaborating to increase COVID-19 antigen production for diagnostic kits and vaccine development;

Immunology research solutions company ProImmune is providing peptides for COVID-19 research;

Vaccitech has worked with the University of Oxford to design a COVID-19 vaccine, now in clinical trials;

Services provided by cloud telephony company Sesui have been identified in the ‘critical and essential’ category by the UK Government, with Sesui ensuring that vital health providers including 111, Urgent Care, and GP Practices can continue to operate. Sesui also continues to provide essential support to other clients, including a leading travel organisation currently at the forefront of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Covid-19 repatriation programme.

Clinical AI company Sensyne Health is providing its GDm-Health digital therapeutic product free to NHS Trusts for a year in response to UK government guidelines for all pregnant women to avoid face-to-face contact for three months. The product allows for the remote management of women with diabetes during pregnancy. The company is also developing BPm-Health for self monitoring of blood pressure during pregnancy. In addition, Sensyne Health has launched the CVm-Health ‘Good Neighbour’ app, its first direct-to-consumer app, for people to monitor their own health and that of others during the pandemic and thereafter.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.