Scottish life science firm secures bank funding

A GENETIC research company that helped comedian Eddie Izzard to trace his family history on BBC1 has sealed a financing deal with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

The Moffat Partnership, founded in Melrose in 2011 by Alistair Moffat and Jim Wilson, is launching two products to help customers trace their ancestors using the DNA in saliva samples. In Meet The Izzards the comedian used such techniques to follow the migration of his ancestors out of Africa and into Europe.

The £30,000 overdraft facility from RBS has helped the company to buy new equipment, allowing it to launch its latest services.

Chief financial officer Sarah Mathieson said: “These products represent a new phase in the company’s development. By using the latest technology and bringing the most comprehensive DNA ancestry testing available to the market, we believe our investment in new product development will lead to further growth.”

Moffat and Wilson set up their firm after collaborating on a book called The Scots: A Genetic Journey.