Press Release: Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, opens REPROCELL European Headquarters in Glasgow
New headquarters strengthen drug discovery services and translational research, and generate new employment opportunities in Scotland. Press release 10th August 2017.
Glasgow, UK. 10th August 2017: REPROCELL Europe Ltd (REPROCELL), a leading provider of products and services for research in stem cells, drug discovery, human tissues and 3D cell culture and a member of the REPROCELL Group, has opened its European headquarters in Glasgow, UK. The REPROCELL Centre for Predictive Drug Discovery at West of Scotland Science Park was inaugurated by Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon. The new headquarters will enable the company to strengthen its pharmaceutical industry-targeted drug discovery services and translational research, and generate new employment opportunities in Scotland.
The company’s relocation to the West of Scotland Science Park was supported by £150,000 of Regional Selective Assistance from Scottish Enterprise in December 2016. Since then, REPROCELL has invested a further £630,000 to expand its European headquarters and develop its product and service offering. REPROCELL has expertise in the development of predictive assays using stem cells, 3D tissue models and fresh human tissues, which offer the pharmaceutical industry novel tools for investigating the safety and efficacy of new drug candidates early in the drug discovery process. The Centre for Predictive Drug Discovery will allow the company to continue to develop these lines of business by growing its Glasgow-based workforce and expand operations to focus on the launch of new services.
Photo: Daisuke Matsunaga, Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh, Scotland, with Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, at the official opening of the Centre for Predictive Drug Discovery, REPROCELL Europe Ltd, with Dr David Bunton, CEO REPROCELL Europe Ltd.
Commenting on the company’s new Scottish headquarters Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland said: “Life sciences is an exciting and developing growth sector for Scotland’s economy and it is testament to confidence in the sector that REPROCELL has decided to base its European operations here. The jobs that are being created and safeguarded will provide significant benefit to the surrounding area and I am looking forward to seeing the company go from strength to strength in the future.”
Dr David Bunton, CEO of REPROCELL Europe Ltd said: “Scottish Enterprise has worked closely with the company in Scotland, Europe, US and Japan to provide business support. This has included work from SDI field colleagues in Japan and across Europe to help identify potential customers, as well as tailored company support on the ground in Scotland to look at new market opportunities globally and extend existing testing services.”
Rhona Allison, Company Growth Senior Director at Scottish Enterprise, said: “REPROCELL’s new expertise in stem-cell reprogramming and 3D cell culture, together with its world class facilities are a further and significant boost to Scotland’s growing life sciences capabilities. The company’s confidence in Scotland is testament to the country’s global reputation in the sector and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the REPROCELL team to help them realise their growth ambitions.”
ENDS
Media Contacts:
Dr. David Bunton, CEO REPROCELL Europe Ltd
david.bunton@reprocell.com
+44 141 465 3460
Lorna Cuddon, Zyme Communications
Lorna.cuddon@zymecommunications.com
+44 (0)7811996942
For a high-resolution version of the photo above, please contact Lorna Cuddon.
About REPROCELL Europe
REPROCELL Europe was created on the 1st of July 2016 from the merger of Biopta Ltd and Reinnervate Ltd. REPROCELL Europe offers the full range of life sciences research products and contract research services of the REPROCELL Group Brands (REPROCELL, Biopta, Reinnervate, Stemgent and BioServe) to markets worldwide. Through the ongoing research and development synergies within the Group, REPROCELL Europe aims to bring to market further unique products and services to accelerate research in stem cells, drug discovery, human tissues and 3D cell culture.
About REPROCELL Group –www.reprocell.com
REPROCELL Inc. was established in 2003 with the goal of contributing to people’s health and welfare through the development of stem cell technologies. Many of REPROCELL’s technologies were developed by stem cell pioneers, Prof. Norio Nakatsuji from the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, and Prof. Hiromitsu Nakauchi from The Institute of Medical Sciences, The University of Tokyo.
About Scottish Enterprise – scottish-enterprise.com
Scottish Enterprise is Scotland's main economic development agency and aims to deliver a significant, lasting effect on the Scottish economy. Our role is to help identify and exploit the best opportunities for economic growth. We support ambitious Scottish companies to compete within the global marketplace and help build Scotland’s globally competitive sectors. We also work with a range of partners in the public and private sectors to attract new investment to Scotland and to help create a world-class business environment.
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