Chemist deal for biotech firm

By Peter Ranscombe
Published on 12/02/2012 00:00

A FAST-GROWING Scottish life sciences company is about to see its products go on sale in the high street following a hat-trick of distribution deals in Canada.

Edinburgh-based Burdica Biomed, which is one of the relatively few biotech companies to have made the transition from start-up to actual sales, makes products to help couples conceive children and to relieve feminine dryness.

Chief executive Kevin Burd said his products are about to go on sale at a major high-street chain of chemists.

Until now, the company’s products have only been available in its home market via the Amazon website.

The contract comes after Burdica landed a deal to supply Shoppers – the Canadian equivalent of Boots in the UK – with enough produce for 200 of its stores.

But Shoppers has already increased its order to give national coverage, while two of its rivals have now also signed deals with the Scots firm.

Burdica’s first foray into North America follows a string of deals across Europe, with a recently signed contract in Switzerland adding to agreements in Austria and Germany.

Burd said: “Our sales have grown by 400 per cent in the past year and we’re expecting similar growth this year. About 95 per cent of our products are currently exported.”

Burd, who is from California, moved to Scotland in 2003 as head of operations for medicine maker Mentor.

It was there that he met Burdica co-founder Dr Xiaobin Zhao, and the pair launched their company in 2007.