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The unique application of combinatorial chemistry in materials science at Southampton has directly underpinned the success of University spin-out, Ilika Technologies. Since 2008, the breadth of applications of the research has allowed Ilika:
Between 2008 and 2012, Ilika enjoyed considerable growth, doubling employment to 35 staff, increasing turnover by approximately 25% annually, and floating on the AIM with a market capitalisation of £18.7 million.
The development of disentangled, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene at Loughborough University since January 2007 has provided an environmental friendly route to the manufacture of high modulus, high tensile strength tapes with applications ranging from body armour to helmets, ropes and cables. Commercialisation is being undertaken by the Japanese company Teijin, in the Netherlands, under the brand name Endumax®. The new business, started in 2011, now employs >80 staff and predicts annual sales of >€15M from 2014 with an increase of ~10% over the first five years. Competitors such as Du Pont (Tensylon®) and DSM (Dyneema BT10®) have also initiated development of products using the new process route.
The School of Chemistry has a long track record of pioneering and innovative outreach activities aimed at stimulating public interest and understanding in chemistry research and its societal impact. During the period 2008-2013 it successfully communicated to a wide-ranging audience the significance of a series of "firsts" in the areas of nanoscience and materials for energy applications. Using YouTube, Royal Society Summer Science Exhibitions, roadshows and science festivals, this award-winning approach has engaged hundreds of thousands through digital media and thousands more face-to-face, raising public awareness, inspiring interest in science and delivering educational benefits for students and teachers alike.
Biomedical devices that need to be implanted into the body typically experience the so-called foreign-body reaction: proteins adhere to the surface of the devices, leading to rapid loss of function and, eventually, to a requirement for replacing the device. Between October 2006 and September 2011, The University of Reading, in collaboration with the UK SME BioInteractions Ltd., developed and evaluated a range of new polymers for coating implantable biomedical devices, especially coronary stents and catheters. The result was a coating system that can deliver a drug controllably over a pre-defined period, leading to the commercial biomaterials platforms AdaptTM and AssistTM. This work resulted in capital investment by Biointeractions Ltd and a substantial increase in their research staffing.
A novel self-assembly process, developed at WestCHEM was shown to provide a step-change for stabilising proteins as dry powders. The spin-out company, XstalBio, was created in 2004 and licensed the patented technology with the aim of developing it for delivery and formulation of therapeutic biomolecules and vaccines. Over the period 2008-2012, eight leading international pharmaceutical and animal health companies paid XstalBio over £2.2M for access to its IP portfolio and to undertake evaluation studies with candidate biomedicines and vaccines. XstalBio employed 8 highly skilled research scientists over this period and 4 further patent families were generated. Boehringer Ingelheim licensed the technology for application to its therapeutic biomolecules and in collaboration with XstalBio built a dedicated €5M pilot plant for manufacture of inhalable dry powders.
Nearly all solid dosage forms contain drugs in crystalline form; and all crystals have the potential to `morph', suddenly, into different forms which can affect the safety and efficacy of the medicinal product. A number of high-profile cases in which marketed medicines had to be withdrawn [Lee, et al., Annu. Rev. Chem. Biomol. Eng. 2011, 2, 259-280] led multinational drug company Pfizer to conclude that a greater understanding of polymorphism was required to enable drug product design for the 21st Century. The University of Greenwich pioneered methods to predict crystal behaviour on the shelf and during manufacture that were affordable, timely and effective. It enabled Pfizer to select the optimal polymorphic drug form and manage risk associated with uncontrolled solid-state transformations, thereby safeguarding patients and avoiding huge costs.
Significant economic impact was achieved as a result of research into polymer nanocomposites and their formation, conducted at WestCHEM from 2000 to 2010. Collaboration over the six-year period 2004-2010 with Carron Phoenix Ltd, the world's largest manufacturer of composite `granite' kitchen sinks, led to nanocomposite technology being incorporated into over one million sinks, generating income for the company in excess of £50M from 2007 to the present day. Considerable production efficiency gains saved in excess of £1M annually through the reduction in manufacturing time, the reduction of raw materials wastage, and the reduction in landfill costs (and commensurate environmental benefit) for failed and out-of-spec products. In addition, a £4M capital investment by the company at the Falkirk plant was secured, enabling the company to sustain its leading position in the designer kitchen sink market. With the site consequently designated as the parent company's competency centre for composite sink technology, employment for 170 workers was secured.
Initial research into polymer nanocomposites and their formation took place at Strathclyde from 2000 - 2010. This was followed by a collaboration with the world's largest manufacturer of composite kitchen sinks, Carron Phoenix Limited, through a 6-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) which resulted in a successful new production process of its high-end synthetic granite kitchen sinks. This led to £4 million of capital investment in new production facilities at their Falkirk site, enabling the company to sustain its leading position in the designer kitchen sink market and retain its workforce of over 400 employees in central Scotland, including the 170 workers in the composite sink division in Falkirk. Within the REF period, the research has led to the manufacture and sale of in excess of one million kitchen sinks, generating sales revenue in excess of over £50M and supporting the UK economy.
The technology in this impact study is based on organofunctionalised silica materials that can address market needs for high purity in compounds that underpin many areas of the pharma, electronic and medical sectors as well as the recovery of limited resources such as precious metals that are used in diverse industries. Since the launch of the product portfolio in 2006, the materials have become embedded in purification or recovery steps in commercial production processes of leading mining (South Africa), pharmaceutical (UK) and petrochemical (Germany) companies and make a significant impact on the business of these companies as well as limiting waste of limited resources.
University of Nottingham researchers have been at the forefront in promoting and establishing Green Chemistry in developing nations. Working with and influencing colleagues and policymakers in both the UK and Africa, they have increased awareness of the importance of introducing sustainable technologies that meet local communities' needs. As a result, they have invigorated the chemistry teaching curriculum in Ethiopia, placing Green Chemistry at its core, and helped shape the approaches of professional bodies, including the Royal Society of Chemistry, for the benefit of the developing world. This has led to what the British Council has described as "a sense of empowerment and confidence" among Ethiopian chemists.