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Multi-disciplinary research at Leeds has led to a step change for treatment of early tooth decay using a minimally invasive regenerative therapy, eliminating the need for surgical excavation ("Filling without Drilling"). The patented technology was licensed to a spin-out company (Credentis ag), completed "first in man" trials at Leeds [6] and received a CE-label for clinical use in Switzerland, Europe and Canada. The trials demonstrated clinical efficacy that is safe and favoured by patients. Two new products are now on the market. Credentis were recognised as one of the top start ups in Switzerland [A], won the Swiss Technology Award in 2013, have established a new UK base and have engaged a UK company as suppliers, creating new business for a UK owned industry.
Research at the University of Leeds has underpinned the company Lhasa Ltd. which has made widely available the toxicity prediction software currently known as Derek Nexus. The use of Derek Nexus by large pharmaceutical companies to support drug development is effectively universal. Toxicology prediction software has led to changes in guidelines issued by regulatory authorities and to industry-wide changes to the investigation of the toxicity of trace impurities. These changes have reduced the resources needed for experimental investigation of toxicity, and have increased revenues derived from launched drugs by extending their patent period of exclusivity. Lhasa Ltd. derives income in support of its charitable aims from Derek Nexus , and a related product Meteor Nexus (Meteor) also based on research undertaken in Leeds. The company reported revenues over £5.4M in 2012 and employs 71 highly qualified staff.
The University of Leeds has a long-established reputation for research into the identification of stamps used by potters on terra sigillata (`samian ware'), a key dating indicator for archaeological excavations on sites in the western Roman empire.
Publication of the illustrated index of these names in nine volumes, complemented by the ongoing release of the data to an online database, has made this research more accessible.
The index has given archaeologists — primarily community and commercial archaeologists beyond academia — a powerful resource for identifying samian pottery and dating the strata where it is found. It has also provided a valuable tool for museums' educational work.
Novel biological scaffolds that regenerate with the patient's own cells have been researched, and patented and since 2008 developed, taken through successful clinical trials and commercialised. Economic impact within the REF period has been delivered through the University of Leeds spinout company Tissue Regenix plc, which has received £32M private investment, employs 35 people and is AIM listed, with a capital value of £70M. Health impact has been delivered through licensing and development by NHS Blood & Transplant Tissue Services. The biological scaffolds have demonstrated five years' successful clinical use in heart valve replacement and three years' clinical use as a commercial vascular patch.
Professor Stephen Russell's fundamental and applied research on the formation, structure and properties of nonwoven fabrics has directly led to the creation and continued success of the Nonwovens Innovation and Research Institute (NIRI) Ltd a University of Leeds spin-out company. Formed in 2005 to exploit Russell's research, NIRI has grown annual sales revenue to ~£1 million supplying products and services that have enabled many medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and global public limited companies (PLCs) to launch improved or new products, growing their market share and positively impacting consumers. Additionally, the research has enabled NIRI to independently establish and co-fund new commercial joint ventures that have resulted in the development of new IP (intellectual property)-protected products for improving global health and security. NIRI has grown its workforce to twenty (mainly University graduates) and has been profitable from the first year of trading.
Between January 2008 and July 2013, over 10,000 key stage 4 school students and their teachers directly engaged with active research of the Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge through an annual interactive 3 day exhibition, titled "Physics at Work". In 2012 the event attracted 31 non-selective state schools and 17 selective/independent schools, 23 of which had visited the exhibition 3 or more times previously- a testament to its success. Building on the enthusiasm that the students showed during their participation in the event, teachers noted an increase in the number opting to study A-level physics and stated that those previously with no interest left with a very positive image of the subject.
Leeds researchers discovered a novel class of tissue penetrating, light-activated dyes that were selectively and rapidly taken up by bacteria. Based on the dyes' promising antimicrobial activity, the University of Leeds span-out Photopharmica Ltd. Further research at Leeds has progressed the development of a targeted antimicrobial for chronic wound infections. Photopharmica has raised £11.5M in external investment, around £6.0M of which has been deployed since 2009 to support a 57 patient phase IIb clinical trial. The results, which showed substantially reduced loads of all bacterial species, led to a further £250K investment in 2012 to support Photopharmica's strategy to bring an antimicrobial drug to the market.
Eculizumab has transformed quality of life and life expectancy for patients with PNH and led to major economic impacts with global drug sales of $1,134 million in 2012 and to Alexion Pharmaceuticals being worth over $19 billion. PNH is a disabling blood disorder that was previously fatal in 50% of patients but with eculizumab survival is comparable to the normal population as well as returning patients to having a normal quality of life. Research in Leeds led to the introduction of eculizumab in 2007. Eculizumab is now approved for clinical use in over 40 countries and for another life threatening disease, atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome.
The Farndale group have identified fragments of collagen, synthesised and assembled in active, triple-helical conformation, for use as ligands to manipulate platelet function. As a result of this work, the fragment Collagen-Related Peptide (CRP) is included in British Committee for Standards in Haematology guidelines as a platelet agonist for the diagnosis of platelet defects. The group has also synthesised triple-helical collagen peptide libraries and used them to map binding of cells or proteins to collagen more widely. The peptides are made and distributed by the Farndale lab, generating income through sales and licencing, and are used internationally by companies and hospitals to develop diagnostics and for high-throughput drug discovery. Prof Farndale also acts as a consultant for companies developing diagnostics.
Congenital disorders are causes of major morbidity and mortality worldwide. Using autozygosity mapping in a local community of Pakistani origin who have high rates of inherited recessive disorders due to consanguineous unions, we have identified more than 30 novel disease genes. Isolating these previously unknown molecular defects has enabled us to develop key diagnostic assays, subsequently provided by clinical laboratories globally. Our work has provided thousands of patients with a definitive diagnosis, removing the need for complex clinical testing. Those affected can be offered focused management and early therapeutic intervention as well as carrier and prenatal testing for themselves and family members. Our findings also provide new research opportunities for previously undefined diseases.