Company
Phico Therapeutics Ltd was founded by
Dr Heather Fairhead in September 2000 with
seed funding from Cambridge Research and Innovation Ltd., (CRIL).
The Company is developing a novel platform technology which has
the potential to produce anti-bacterials active against all species of
bacteria. Proof of principle of its platform technology, known as
SASPjectTM,
has been established in the Gram positive bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus
(including MRSA) and the Gram negative bacterium, Escherichia coli.
Initial products are aimed at species of bacteria where antibiotic resistance
is a problem.
In June 2001 and June 2002 respectively, the Company won a DTI funded Smart
Feasibility Study award worth £45,000 and a DTI Smart Development grant worth
£105,000. These grants supported the successful development of an anti-MRSA SASPjectTM
system.
A third DTI Research and Development grant worth £200,000 was awarded in June 2004
to fund development of a SASPjectTM system targeted to the bacterium
Clostridium difficile.
The Company has raised over £3.7 M to date, including £1.55 M at the end of 2006, from
CRIL, Emblem Technology Partners, Providence Investment Company, Parallel Ventures and business angel
syndicates, including Cambridge Capital Group, OION, Angels for Growth and London Business Angels.
The company is based at the Babraham Bioincubator and employs a team of twelve, including nine
full time post doctoral scientists, led by
Dr Heather Fairhead.