Bosses at the Aberdeen company developing what could be the world’s first oral disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease have stressed the importance of the region’s life sciences sector in a meeting with First Minister John Swinney.
With companies across several industries in the north-east under increasing pressure, TauRx Therapeutics Management Ltd chiefs were keen to stress the potential transformative long-term clinical and economic benefit TauRx could have for Aberdeen, Scotland and the UK.
Based within the First Aberdeen headquarters on the city’s King Street, TauRx has submitted a Marketing Authorisation Application for its drug – which targets a key driver of dementia progression – to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
And while they await the outcome of the MHRA process, bosses were keen to highlight the success of the sector in the north-east in a meeting with the First Minister earlier this week.
From left: Prof Claude Wishick (TauRx CEO), Dr Glenn Corr (TauRx Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Officer), First Minister John Swinney and Áine Mishra (TauRx Head of Strategic Development).
TauRx CEO Professor Claude Wischik said: “This meeting highlights the government’s recognition of the important role life sciences can play in supporting the growth of Scotland’s economy.
“Having built a team that has successfully conducted four Phase III global clinical trials from Aberdeen, we have demonstrated for the first time that world-leading research, development, and clinical execution can be delivered successfully entirely from the north-east.”
Dr Glenn Corr, TauRx’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Officer, added: “We believe our experience could provide a blueprint for Scottish life sciences ventures, and with plans to double the cluster here in the north-east by 2030 on track, it’s an exciting time for the industry and we are proud to be a part of it.”