The Merseybio Incubator is a state-of-the-art facility which provides laboratory and associated office space for up to 15 biotechnology companies
David Sainsbury, UK minister for science and innovation, will officially open the Merseybio Incubator on Friday 30 January 2004.
The incubator, based at the University of Liverpool, is at the heart of the emerging life sciences industry which are intended to ensure that Liverpool and the Merseyside region is at the forefront of one of the most exciting and growing industries of the 21st century.
The Merseybio Incubator is a state-of-the-art facility which provides laboratory and associated office space for up to 15 biotechnology companies.
Business incubation is the successful nurturing of new, high- growth companies and the Merseybio Incubator provides a purpose-built environment for start-up biotechnology businesses as well as providing in-house specialist support to help these young companies through the difficult early days.
The Merseybio Incubator opened for business in spring 2003, and is already home to new companies looking to make a difference to the global health and agricultural industries.
During his visit to Liverpool, Sainsbury will meet three Incubator companies - PI Biosciences, Provexis, and Platform Diagnostics, and learn about their businesses.
PI Biosciences, the first company to enter the Incubator, aims to be a leading provider of innovative plant biotechnology solutions to support crop development.
Provexis, a medical food company, specialises in developing and marketing products which are derived from plants but which have health or medical benefits.
Platform Diagnostics aims to transform the way tests are currently carried out in hospitals and GP practices with their patented digital diagnostic technology.
John McQuillian, director of Merseybio, said: "It has been more than four years since the Merseybio Incubator initiative was conceived.
"All of us who have played a part in creating this superb capability have been looking forward to this day for a long time and we are here to celebrate.
"On behalf of all our partners our supporters and, above all, our present and future client companies we are now looking further forward to a period of conspicuous success and excitement building new life science enterprises on Merseyside".
Professor Drummond Bone, vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool said: "The Merseybio Incubator reflects the University's competitiveness in underpinning basic research.
"It also confirms our strong commitment to contributing to and supporting the region's ambitious business development programme."
