12 October 2006

Just three years after the official opening of its first BioIncubator and Innovation Centre, BioCity Nottingham Ltd has opened a second building on its Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham site. The building was named “The Stewart Adams Building” after the Boots scientist who led the team that discovered Ibuprofen on the very site that BioCity is now located. The inauguration was performed by Dr Stewart Adams and Sir William Castell, Chairman of the Wellcome Foundation, and was supported by Boots The Chemists and The International Ibuprofen Foundation. There were several schools in attendance from the East Midlands Region, organised by bioKneX.
The new facility will add a further 3,000 sq m of space to the existing 5,000 sq m provided by Phase 1. The Stewart Adams Building is particularly focused on medicinal chemistry and pharmaceuticals and contains laboratories with a total of 36 chemistry fume hoods as well as a GMP manufacturing unit for the production of sterile and general pharmaceuticals. The building is already fully occupied and a waiting list for space in the building has now been established.
Dr Glenn Crocker, Chief Executive of BioCity commented, “The opening of The Stewart Adams Building further builds on the incredible strength in pharmaceutical development that exists in the Nottingham area. Several of the companies that have moved in have outgrown our Phase 1 development and I am delighted that we have been able to continue to provide for these success stories.”
Simon Potts, Boots Healthcare Commercial Director said, “We’re delighted that BioCity have named this building after Dr Stewart Adams. Nottingham and Boots has a long history of healthcare innovations and we’re proud to be supporting future healthcare developments in Nottingham.”
The work on the building was part funded by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the Greater Nottingham Partnership (European Regional Development Fund), which between them contributed approximately £3 million towards the costs.
Sue Kirby, emda’s Policy and Communications Director, said: “BioCity is a fantastic example of how entrepreneurial activities are being harnessed to contibute to the goal of a flourishing region. The new Regional Economic Strategy, co-ordinated by emda and published in July 2006, highlights how the capacity of businesses to innovate is directly linked to their long term sustainability and growth. We are pleased to support phase 2 of the BioCity development, enabling more companies - particularly those within the healthcare sector - to successfully exploit their ideas in creating new products or services and lead to the creation of more highly skilled jobs.”
Martin Gawith, Chief Executive of Greater Nottingham Partnership said “Greater Nottingham Partnership is delighted with the success of Bio City. The project is living proof of the skills, ingenuity and hard work of the science community in Nottingham. Bio City is great illustration of Nottingham’s ability to succeed in the 21st century as a leading Science City.”
The opening of the Stewart Adams Building coincides with BioCity’s Fourth Annual Bioscience Lecture, which this year was given by Sir Alec Jeffreys, the Lasker Prize-winning discoverer of DNA fingerprinting, based at the
University of Leicester. The 150 invited guests heard Sir Alec talk about his work and the future opportunities in his talk entitled, “DNA Fingerprinting and Beyond”.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
BIOCITY NOTTINGHAM LTD Press enquiries to: Dr Glenn Crocker, Chief Executive. Tel: +44 (0)115 912 4280 Mobile: +44 (0)7867 506 802 Email: g.crocker@biocity.co.uk www.biocity.co.uk
BioCity Nottingham Ltd was formed in November 2002. The company develops and operates bioscience and healthcare related incubation and innovation facilities. The first such facility was opened in Nottingham in September 2003 and is currently home to 40 businesses with a further 7 in the Stewart Adams Building. BioCity was founded by Nottingham Trent University, the University of Nottingham and the East Midlands Development Agency. The site the company is developing in Nottingham was originally gifted to Nottingham Trent University by BASF plc

BOOTS THE CHEMISTS Clare Stafford PR Manager, Boots Tel: 0115 949 4884 Email: clare.stafford@boots.co.uk

EAST MIDLANDS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY Clare Baker Media & PR Manager East Midlands Development Agency (emda) Tel: 0115 988 8583 Email: clarebaker@emd.org.uk GREATER NOTTINGHAM PARTNERSHIP Martin Gawith Chief Executive Greater Nottingham Partnership Tel.0115 9502608 Email: martin.gawith@gnpartnership.org.uk