OBN's 2011 Annual Awards Dinner Celebrates UK Bioscience Success Stories

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14 Sep, 2011, 11:38 BST

OXFORD, England, September 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

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Some of the UK's bioscience sector major success stories were recognised last night at the OBN Annual Bioscience Awards Dinner 2011. The not-for-profit business network, which provides comprehensive support for biotech and medtech companies in Oxford and South-East England, celebrated the Awards at a capacity black tie event at Broadgates Hall and Pembroke College, Oxford. The Awards sought to highlight the many great achievements of the UK's bioscience sector in raising funds, making deals and supporting innovation, despite the challenges of operating within an adverse financial climate. This year's Awards had a particular focus on the achievements of the nominees in the current difficult business environment.

The 2011 award winners were:

Circassia, Best Biotech Fundraiser

Circassia raised £60m for the development of its lead allergy products in April 2011 in the third largest fundraising by a privately-held European biopharmaceutical company in more than 15 years. To date, Circassia has successfully completed four investment rounds, raising approximately £93 million ($159 million).

CellNovo, Best MedTech Fundraiser

As featured at OBN's 2011 BioTrinity, Cellnovo raised £30m to advance mobile diabetes management in February 2011. Cellnovo is using the funds to commercialize its miniaturised integrated pump, meter and management system and expand to markets around the world.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Best New Product

Incivek™ (telaprevir) is a new oral medicine approved in the USA in May 2011 for the treatment of hepatitis C. It acts directly on the hepatitis C virus protease, an enzyme essential for viral replication. In clinical trials, Incivek has been shown to dramatically reduce the time on HCV therapy for many patients.

Amgen/BioVex, Best Dealmaker

Amgen completed its acquisition of BioVex in March 2011 in a deal worth up to $1 billion gaining access to its product candidates based around its oncolytic virus therapy for cancer.

Progenitor Labs, Best Emerging biotech

Progenitor Labs is a biotechnology company spun out of Plasticell that is exploiting stem and progenitor cells to design high-throughput screens for the discovery of small molecule therapeutics that regenerate tissues of the human body.

OxTexs, Best Emerging Medtech

Oxtexs is a manufacturer of anisotropic self-inflating tissue expanders for use in reconstructive plastic surgery and restorative dentistry. For the first time, surgeons will be able to accurately and predictably control the direction, the timing, and rate of the material's expansion in the body. This will significantly reduce the risk of soft tissue damage and associated complications.

Dr Jon Rees, OBN's CEO, said: "It is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to celebrate the real business successes being delivered by our member companies and this year's Awards dinner was no exception. The winners highlight the ongoing strengths of the 'Golden Triangle' of the Oxford, Cambridge and London bioclusters and the impact science-based companies are having across a range of healthcare areas. This positive news was recently complimented by the announcement of an Enterprise Zone offering incentives to companies locating in the Science Vale region of South Oxfordshire."

**Photographs of the Awards are available on request**

About OBN

OBN is a not-for-profit business network which provides comprehensive support for its member biotech and medtech companies in the Oxford and South-East England biocluster and the rest of the UK. Our activities can be summarised as networking, partnering, group purchasing, and fundraising advice. Through its delivery of Europe's fastest growing biopartnering and investment conference, BioTrinity, OBN generates more R&D-company-to-investor interactions than anyone else in Europe. OBN is sponsored by Shire, as Corporate Patron, and Corporate Sponsors MEPC, Manches LLP, James Cowper, Red Moon Executive Search, SRG, FOCUS Insurance, World Courier and Citigate Dewe Rogerson as well as by its extensive membership of R&D companies and other companies across the entire life sciences industry ecosystem.