Yorkshire company at the forefront of pharmaceutical development thanks to R&D grant

15/04/2009

A company which specialises in the extraction of pharmaceuticals from plants has been awarded a Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform research and development (R&D) grant, managed by Yorkshire Forward to carry out its own independent research activities using advanced techniques.

Advanced Extraction Technology based in Market Weighton near York has been operating for two years carrying out R&D contracts for larger partners from the pharmaceutical industry, but has now decided to diversify by carrying out its own research projects in order to improve the company’s future prospects and profitability.

The company was formed by Dr Gary Wheatley, a Chartered Chemist with extensive R&D experience in the pharmaceutical industry, and Ken Davison, an Engineer with more than thirty years experience on industrial projects.

The R&D grant will support the purchase of new high pressure equipment for Sub-critical Water Extraction (SWE), a rapidly evolving technique for extracting pharmaceutical compounds from medicinal plants; along with laboratory facilities to allow the characterisation of the extracts produced. 

SWE is one of the new generations of “green” technologies which promise to replace harmful organic solvents. The technique also has the ability to extract poorly soluble compounds that are difficult to recover using traditional techniques. 
 
“Using SWE the project will concentrate on the production of high potency extracts from a range of traditionally used plants that exhibit promising pharmacological activity in laboratory studies, but are not currently the basis of a UK medicine” explained Dr Gary Wheatley.

Advanced Extraction Technology will then seek development partners to take these projects through clinical trials and ultimately on to full commercialisation as a UK licensed medicine. The company is hoping to develop a treatment that will increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer.

“We are concentrating on the extraction of a group of compounds which are known to reverse the development by cancer cells of resistance to chemotherapy by inhibiting "protein pumps" in the cell wall. In addition these compounds also exhibit certain anti-cancer activity in their own right.

“Without the R&D grant  the total financial contribution from myself and Ken would have been so great that, bearing in mind the high risk of failure in drug discovery, we would simply not have risked carrying out the research” continued Dr Gary Wheatley.

Alex McWhirter, Assistant Director of Business at Yorkshire Forward said; “The Healthcare Technologies sector is growing in the region with increasing demand for new solutions to clinical needs. We are delighted to be supporting Advanced Extraction Technology Ltd as it diversifies carrying out its own research activities with an improved extraction process of pharmaceuticals from plants.

“These grants allow for the successful research and development of new products and processes, which can open up a range of new markets for the region’s businesses”.

Notes to editors:

Yorkshire Forward

  • Yorkshire Forward is the Regional Development Agency behind the economic regeneration of Yorkshire and Humber. It aims to make a positive difference by investing in jobs, improving towns and cities, and in supporting businesses throughout the region.
  • Yorkshire Forward’s investment across the region is maximised by attracting European Regional Development Funding from the Objective One and Two programmes.
  • For further information, images or to arrange an interview, please contact Laura Scholey, Press Executive on 0113 3949540 or email laura.scholey@yorkshire-forward.com