Bioclavis creates 43 jobs in Glasgow's innovation zone

A spin-out from a succesful bio-science company will create 43 new jobs in Glasgow following a Scottish Enterprise-backed programme of investment.
Keith BrownKeith Brown
Keith Brown

Bioclavis, a new spin-out from Californian molecular profiling company Biospyder, to be based at the Clinical Innovation Zone at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, creating 43 new jobs.

BioSpyder’s investment has been supported by a £4.5m Seek & Solve research and development grant from Scottish Enterprise.

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It forms part of a total investment of £10.5m, which will see BioClavis adapt BioSpyder’s TempO-Seq platform technology into a novel diagnostic tool for precision medicine in a number of high value clinical indications, in close collaboration with the health service and university researchers.

It comes during the economy secretary Keith Brown’s visit to the US and Canada, where he is promoting Scotland to the North American business community.

Mr Brown said: “This is an exciting time for life sciences businesses in Scotland. The sector is strong and continuing to grow - providing employment for over 37,000 people.

“This Government has worked hard to enhance Scotland’s growing reputation as a global centre of excellence for clinical research.

“This announcement is evidence of this and I’m delighted that Biospyder has chosen to base its new spinout, Bioclavis, in Scotland, where it will take forward a new project in precision medicine with our health service and universities.”

Joel McComb, CEO of BioSpyder and BioClavis said: “We’re very excited to build on the success we’ve had in other molecular profiling applications and bring this novel method to bear on discovery and deployment of next generation genomic diagnostics.

“We determined Glasgow to be the ideal location for this initiative based in large part on the support and close working relationships with ScottishEnterprise, NHS and the University.”

Earlier in the week Mr Brown met with another life sciences inward investor Acadian Seaplants, which recently acquired Uist Asco, a seaweed business on the Isle of North Uist.

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Mr Brown added: “The recent acquisition of Uist Asco by Acadian Seaplants shows that investment from North American companies is having an impact the length and breadth of the country. Acadian Seaplants is a world-leader in the processing of seaweed-based products and it’s great to see them bringing their skills, knowledge and expertise to Scotland.”

Nova Scotia’s Acadian Seaplants is a global, bio-tech company and the largest independent manufacturer of marine plant products of its type in the world. Uist Asco provides Acadian Seaplants a greater presence in Europe, complementing their operation in Kilkieran, Ireland.