Four British companies that are changing the face of medicine

COVID-19 showed the impact that disease can have on our planet, but also the potential for innovative new medicines to combat it. But the pandemic is not alone. Today, patients have increasingly complex needs, and the pharma industry needs to innovate if it is going to meet them. 

From next-generation vaccines to future therapeutics and groundbreaking manufacturing techniques, the UK is at the forefront of exciting changes in the pharma industry. 

Here are just four companies that we have worked with that are reshaping the pharma landscape. 

4basebio – Using synthetic DNA to revolutionise medicine

Cambridge-based SME 4basebio has developed a new manufacturing process that makes the production of synthetic DNA safer and faster than traditional methods. The company’s enzyme-based approach also reduces costs and the environmental impact of DNA production. 

4basebio’s innovative approach could revolutionise the way we manufacture synthetic DNA, an essential component used for gene therapies and vaccines. This could ensure that life-changing treatments get to patients faster. 

Digital Design Accelerator – Bringing medicine to market faster

Modern medicine is advancing at a rapid rate, but despite its increasing complexity manufacturing processes have changed very little in the past 40 years. 

Thanks to a collaboration between Innovate UK and AstraZeneca along with other industry and academic partners , innovative new digital tools are being harnessed to drive more efficient manufacturing processes to deliver more medicines to more patients, more quickly. 

Soteria - Revolutionising treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

More than 500,000 people in the UK live with some form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Though there’s currently no cure, there are treatments available to control flare ups. The problem is that these treatments must be delivered intravenously which can be invasive, time consuming and inconvenient. 

But an innovative new treatment option could soon change that. Soteria delivers treatment orally, which means that patients can administer it at home rather than going to a clinical setting. It’s a solution that could change the lives of patients and save valuable time and resources for the NHS. 

Ventus Medical – A new approach to nicotine replacement

Policymakers are taking direct action to reduce the morbidity and mortality of smoking and smoking related diseases. To encourage change, new tools, technologies and treatments are needed to support smokers in their efforts to quit. 

Ventus Medical is working to develop a new generation of nicotine replacement to help smokers. Their replaceable, single-use cartridges deliver accurate nicotine dosage while eliminating toxic exposure. 

By reducing cravings and alleviating withdrawal symptoms it’s an example of a pharmaceutical innovation that will genuinely impact lives.