TMRC Scoops Best Investment in Europe

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, was today awarded one of three 'Best Investment in Europe' titles at the La Baule World Investment Conference for its leading role in creating the world's first Translational Medicine Research Collaboration (TMRC) in Scotland in 2006.

The award was made at the event in France in recognition of Wyeth's large financial investment, its determination to make the project succeed and for the number of highly skilled jobs created, projected at upwards of 120 jobs over five years in Scotland.

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, with headquarters in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, plans to invest an estimated £33m in the collaboration in its first five years with an option to extend for a further five years. Scottish Enterprise will invest up to £17.5m.

Frank Walsh Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Wyeth Research said: "Wyeth is tremendously honoured to receive this award. We believe this is a truly novel and innovative collaboration and we are proud that it is being recognized as such. Scotland offers enormous potential in the field of life sciences and in particular translational medicine. It is the hope of all partners in this collaboration that the research performed will have direct consequences on patient health through the speedy and safe development of novel therapeutics."

The £50 million collaboration comprises four of Scotland's leading universities (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow), Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Scottish Enterprise and NHS Scotland Grampian, Greater Glasgow, Lothian and Tayside, and will provide new impetus for Scotland to lead the world in the development of personalised medicine, bringing new treatments to patients suffering from a range of serious illnesses.

TMRC has already invested almost £8 million of funding to support 28 new research projects covering a wide range of therapeutic areas including cardiovascular and metabolic disease, the central nervous system, oncology, inflammation, and women's health.

As a result, over 40 new jobs have already been created with a further 50 projected for the Core Laboratory which will is located in Dundee.

Martin Togneri, Chief Executive of Scottish Development International, who is at La Baule, said: "With over three and a half thousand recorded inward investment projects taking place in Europe in 2006, to win this award is a great achievement and testament to everyone concerned in the delivery of this world first in Scotland.

"Wyeth's investment is a tremendous endorsement of the country's excellence in life sciences, its culture of collaboration between the NHS and Universities, and the fantastic support that the project has been met with from everyone in Scotland. It is right that its efforts in creating the TMRC are recognised globally."

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