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New life sciences jobs
22/09/2008
Twenty three new pharmaceutical life sciences jobs are to be created in East Kilbride - and more than 60 posts safeguarded - with Scottish Government Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) support.
Controlled Therapeutics (Scotland) Limited, a subsidiary of US-based Cytokine PharmaSciences Inc (CPSI), has accepted a £930,000 RSA grant to create the new jobs and safeguard the other posts.
CPSI specialises in developing products, primarily in the area of women's health, which help the delivery of drugs to women in labour.
Enterprise Minister Jim Mather, who is in the United States to meet over 100 business leaders and present Scotland as a competitive business destination, said:
"This grant will help Controlled Therapeutics continue its research and development work, grow its product portfolio and invest in new equipment to expand its manufacturing capacity. It again underlines Scottish strengths in life sciences.
"Increasing the level of research and development in Scotland is a key driver of innovative activity, helping to boost productivity and increase sustainable economic growth. Investing in and promoting R&D is even more imperative for Scotland's competitiveness given the current global economic uncertainty.
"In the absence of tax-varying powers, RSA is a scheme which complements this Government's drive to create a more successful economy and provide opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish."
Dennis Willson, President and CEO of Cytokine PharmaSciences, said the company was investing more than 6 million US Dollars in Scotland. Following a meeting with the Minister in Kentucky, Mr Willson said:
"Controlled Therapeutics (Scotland) Ltd is the heart of our business and the decision to invest in its future was an easy one. We have a superb and well motivated staff and have enjoyed the support of the Scottish Government at every step over the past 16 years. This is an unbeatable formula for success."
Cytokine PharmaSciences, Inc. (CPSI), is a privately held, global biopharmaceutical company developing controlled-release drug delivery products, primarily in the area of women's health.
In May 1993, the company acquired Controlled Therapeutics (Scotland) Limited ("CTS"). CTS, was formed in 1986, when they acquired a hydrogel polymer technology from the University of Strathclyde. From this technology, CTS has developed Propess (Cervidil in certain countries), a vaginal insert used to ease childbirth, which is marketed worldwide (except Japan). CTS is located in East Kilbride and employs around 65 people, about half of whom are involved in research and development.
The company's patent protection on its hydrogel polymer technology runs out in 2012. Its proposed strategy for dealing with this future event is to grow its product portfolio by increasing the number of products developed and manufactured using both its existing polymer technology and new drug delivery technologies based on a novel linear polymer technology. It currently manufactures its hydrogel polymer in a manual batch process with the success or failure of the batch dependent upon the experience and 'feel' of the long serving manufacturing staff. To maximise the patent window remaining, the company wants to invest in new plant and equipment that will both automate the manufacturing process and expand manufacturing capacity. This is particularly relevant for the next products in the company's pipeline which will also use the current hydrogel polymer technology. The project will require considerable modifications to take place within the property including extending the current clean room from 615 sq.m to approximately 715 sq.m.
Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) is the Scottish Government's main national scheme of financial assistance to industry. It provides discretionary grants for investment projects that will create or safeguard jobs in Assisted Areas - areas designated for regional aid under European Community law. Payments of RSA are made in instalments, typically over years, provided that job and project expenditure targets are met. The amounts quoted here and in the report represent the maximum grant potentially available if the project is satisfactorily completed, and not the amount actually paid to date. All job numbers are based on firms' forecast figures at the time a grant is offered and are subject to change, depending on future economic conditions and other factors affecting the business concerned.