Capital firm scoops prize at ceremony

A COMPANY which designed software to speed up the development of drugs has won a top award in Edinburgh.

Pharmatics scooped the new innovation prize at a ceremony hosted by the city's BioQuarter development.

The firm was founded by Dr Felix Agakov and Professor Paul McKeigue, who aim to use the vast array of global data to accelerate the testing and delivery of new drugs.

The runner-up was named as Cytomos Ltd, which developed a device for sorting cells, while third prize went to Acid Test, which created a new method for testing the safety of drinking water.

The BioQuarter - being built at Little France on the outskirts of Edinburgh - launched the prize in a bid to recognise the level of scientific innovation taking place in Edinburgh.

Dr Mike Capaldi, its commercialisation director, said: "There was a great response to this year's competition.

"Next year we hope to engage even more researchers with the message that scientific innovation can bring real rewards outside the lab - not just to researchers, but to patients and their families as well."