Therapeutic protein and vaccine stabilisation technology with global reach across the pharmaceutical industry

Narrative

A novel self-assembly process, developed at the University of Strathclyde was shown to provide a step-change for stabilising proteins as dry powders. The spin-out company, XstalBio, was created in 2004 and licensed the patented technology with the aim of developing it for delivery and formulation of therapeutic biomolecules and vaccines. Over the period 2008-2012, eight leading international pharmaceutical and animal health companies paid XstalBio over £2.2M for access to its IP portfolio and to undertake evaluation studies with candidate biomedicines and vaccines. XstalBio employed 8 highly skilled research scientists over this period and 4 further patent families were generated. Boehringer Ingelheim licensed the technology for application to its therapeutic biomolecules and in collaboration with XstalBio built a dedicated €5M pilot plant for manufacture of inhalable dry powders.

Impact status	Open
Category of impact	Economic and commerce, Health and welfare - new products, guidelines and services