DLOC Biosystems selects Kent's Discovery Park as its UK base

By Stephen Emerson

13 October 2023

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Wadah Malaeb

DLOC Biosystems has selected Discovery Park as the location for its new biology facility.

The company will set up a biology lab within Discovery Park’s life science cluster to
continue development of its state-of-the-art organ-on-a-chip technology and deliver accurate assay testing services to pharmaceutical companies to advance drug discovery.

DLOC Biosystems was founded to enable faster, safer and cheaper drug development. The company’s chips provide an environment where cells can grow and reorganise into tissues, providing the perfect setting for large scale, affordable drug testing. Its technology will help to enable the reduction and replacement of animal testing, by providing more accurate data on safety and efficacy than current pre-clinical testing models.

With an engineering team based in Lebanon, DLOC was looking to build a new biology team based in the UK.

The company selected Discovery Park’s high-spec lab facilities just over an hour from London due to its reputation as a leading hub for life sciences and the opportunity it offers for future
expansion.

Wadah Malaeb, CEO and Founder of DLOC Biosystems, said: “We were initially interested in locating in London as it offered access to an excellent talent pool, however, the cost and availability of high-spec lab space as well as living costs for potential employees proved inhibitive. When I visited Discovery Park, I was impressed not just by the quality of the facilities
available, but also by the extensive business support offered by the team. The park and its surroundings provide an ideal location to build our business and I look forward to joining the Discovery Park community.”

Discovery Park’s extensive ecosystem provides future opportunities for collaboration as well as a network of potential customers, a key consideration for life science start-ups.

Chris Broom, Head of Business Development at Discovery Park, said: “We’re passionate about supporting the transformation of ideas into successful commercial innovation. As well as access to our cutting-edge facilities, DLOC will have the opportunity to network and collaborate with our community of innovative start-ups and established companies.

"We are excited to welcome Wadah and his team to Discovery Park and look forward to working with them to support the growth of the company and deliver significant benefits to the drug discovery industry.”

By Stephen Emerson

Stephen Emerson is the Managing Editor of The Business Magazine and is responsible for the publication's print publications and online properties including the newly launched Biz News websites in Hampshire and Dorset.

Stephen has been a journalist for 20 years and has worked at local, regional and national publications and led a team which made The Scotsman website one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK with over eight million monthly users.

He has a keen interest in technology, property and corporate finance and telling the stories of the people behind the successful firms in these sectors.