Glasgow Chamber Of Commerce

A number of dynamic life sciences companies have been shortlisted for the prestigious Scottish Enterprise Life Sciences Awards 2012, including two nominations for Glasgow-based ventures and people.

Successful nominations have been named in four award categories which celebrate the achievements of the sector over the last year. Sistemic has been nominated for best new life science company in Scotland and Professor Chris Packard, Vascular Biochemistry Group, has been nominated for the award of outstanding contribution to the growth of Scottish life sciences. This award also sees Kevin Moore OBE, Business Therapies Ltd, Hamilton and Professor Patricia Connolly, University of Strathclyde nominated.

As well as this, Select Pharma Laboratories Ltd, Stirling has also been nominated for best new life science company in Scotland and Encap Drug Delivery, Livingston has been shortlisted in the life sciences business leadership award.

In the Scottish Health Innovations Ltd award for best innovation originating within NHS Scotland, Graham Bell from Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board has been nominated for Air Trap Device.

The winners of the awards will be announced at the Scottish Enterprise Life Sciences Annual dinner at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Thursday 9 February. The keynote speaker will be Dr David Pulman, president of global manufacturing and supply at GlaxoSmithKline.

Attended by over 750 people from the life sciences community across Scotland, the awards are a key highlight in the sector's calendar. Scotland is one of Europe's leading locations for life sciences investment, with a world-class academic base and expanding company portfolio.

As well as celebrating achievements, the awards will also highlight the ongoing work of Scottish Enterprise and its partners to capitalise on these strengths to grow and develop a sustainable life sciences sector across Scotland.

This news comes on the same day Scotland signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the prestigious Californian Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

Facilitated by Scottish Development International (SDI), the MoU will enable joint research between scientists and companies in Scotland and California and will explore the creation of a collaborative partnership between CIRM and Scotland. Signing will take place at the new MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine in Edinburgh.

Scotland's global reputation for its world-leading capabilities in stem cell research led CIRM to proactively seek to develop partnerships with Scottish businesses and academia, creating the opportunity for both parties to realise ambitious projects by sharing expertise and innovation.

The aims for Scotland in signing the MoU are to:

• Further raise the awareness of Scotland's profile in stem cells in the US, UK and internationally
• Encourage further links between Scottish companies and their commercial and academic counterparts in California
• Develop closer ties between Californian companies and Scottish clinicians.

Anne MacColl, chief executive of Scottish Development International said: "Scotland is globally recognised as a trailblazer in the life sciences sector and this MoU is further testament to our appeal as a partner of choice in ambitious world-leading projects.

"The signing of the MoU will provide an excellent foundation for Scottish companies to build relationships with Californian businesses. It will further boost Scotland's profile as the primary location to undertake clinical trials, help to create new inward investment for Scotland and increase customers for our rapidly growing stem cell supply chain.

"These new relationships, together with our academic expertise, will also allow us to push new potential therapies, in areas such as cardiovascular disease, liver disease, neurological and retinal disorders and blood diseases, through to clinical trials -decreasing the time it takes for these therapies to become a reality and giving the Scottish life sciences sector an extra competitive edge.

"Scottish Development International is committed to supporting Scottish-based companies to work with Californian scientists and businesses on large-scale programmes, driving dynamic growth back into the Scottish economy. The works starts now. The opportunities are boundless."

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "Scotland's life sciences research is rightly regarded as among the very best in the world and we are determined to continue to build on that enviable reputation for the future.

"This work opens up opportunities for our researchers to work together and in partnership with CIRM to turn cutting-edge research into real health benefits. I am confident that this joint research agreement will give Scotland a competitive advantage in the global marketplace."

Alan Torunson, President of CIRM, said: "Scotland has robust stem cell research communities in both basic science and translational clinical science, which should create synergies with many projects in California and help us further leverage California's investment in the field for the good of patients everywhere,"