Scottish Researchers Win £100m Drug Contract

A Lanarkshire-based life sciences company and Dundee University researchers have won a £100m Europe-wide drug discovery contract.

BioCity Scotland in Newhouse will work with Dundee University scientists and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance (SULSA) on the project, researching new drug treatments.

First Minister Alex Salmond welcomed the news as "putting Lanarkshire and Dundee at the heart of international drug discovery".

The Lanarkshire facility is being named as the Scottish Screening Centre for a team of 30 international partners.

Mr Salmond said: "BioCity Scotland, SULSA and Dundee University have succeeded in bringing a huge and valuable piece of work to Scotland, against international competition.

"In particular, this deal shows the combined strength of our universities and commercial experts. Working together, they have been able to secure the biggest ever IMI contract of its kind in Scotland, putting Lanarkshire and Dundee at the forefront of drug discovery in Europe for many years to come.

"This is a very large contract indeed – a total of around £100m, including investment of £16.3m from the European IMI and £3.5m from the Scottish Funding Council and the Scottish government.

"Also included is £75m in proprietary drug compounds from participating pharmaceutical companies and for use by project partners – all of which will be stored at BioCity Scotland."

Professor Pete Downes, University of Dundee Principal and Vice-Chancellor, said: "This investment is an excellent indicator of the world-class capabilities in bioscience and drug discovery in Scotland and the UK.

"Dundee’s early investment in academic drug discovery is beginning to pay off and I am particularly encouraged by the collaborative effort, brokered by the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance, which has been critical to securing such a significant project."

(IT)