The triple helix: ONE BioHub Aberdeen

Aberdeen’s world-class innovation-led life sciences enterprises are tackling modern epidemics, from neurodegenerative diseases and infectious diseases to cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Medical breakthroughs from the invention of the MRI scanner to the synthesis of the life-saving insulin drug have been pioneered in the city.

ONE BioHub opened in August last year and brings focus and synergy to the ground-breaking research taking place while providing a physical base for collaboration, innovation, and commercialisation.

The iconic building is significant to the future economy of the north east of Scotland and a symbol of Opportunity North East (ONE) ambition to double the size of the sector. It exists to inspire and enable the commercialisation of research and innovation, the growth of high-value life sciences businesses, and create more high-skill jobs.

A thriving life sciences ecosystem

ONE builds and grows the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region, creating a thriving life sciences ecosystem, and works with partners including Innovate UK, to strengthen and grow the pipeline of spinouts and start-ups.

David Blackbourn, Professor of Virology at the University of Aberdeen and Director of the Institute of Medical Science, stated:

“I was drawn here by the fantastic life sciences cluster in the north-east of Scotland. It provides a gravitational pull for life scientists.

“Foresterhill health campus has the hospital, the University Medical School, the associated institutes, and now the fantastic ONE BioHub. Tenants can access facilities across the campus such as, the university core services, and potentially, access to patient data and material from the biorepository at the hospital.

“It’s an energised ecosystem where tenants can share best practice and learning. They can make use of the support that ONE provides in terms of access to lawyers, accountants, venture capital funders, and regulatory experts.”

70% of late-stage drug assets across Scotland are based in Aberdeen

Andy Porter, Professor of Medical Biotechnology and Director of the Scottish Biologics facility in Aberdeen shares David’s thoughts. His unique perspective on the value of ONE BioHub stems from having a foot in three camps: he is an academic, a director of a Scottish biotech company, and he is on the boards of both ONE Life Sciences and ONE BioHub.

“Many Aberdeen companies have their drugs in late-stage clinical development. About 70% of late-stage drug assets across Scotland are based in Aberdeen. That’s one of the things that really distinguishes the cluster in the city.

“But the sector in Aberdeen is quite spread out, quite diffuse. One of the exciting things about ONE BioHub is the opportunity to bring some of those companies together under one roof.

ONE BioHub is a catalyst for commercialisation

“Clinical trials of new drugs often cost hundreds of millions of dollars to complete. That’s why commercialisation of the asset is vital.

“There’s a 20-year cycle that comes from patent filing so if ONE BioHub can help companies to accelerate the process and get from discovery to approval more quickly, that extra patent life can be worth huge sums of money. That is really exciting.

“Shaving time off drug delivery is also great news for patients as they get access to new treatments much sooner. That patient care aspect is the biggest impact.”

It is the physical space in which we can realise the triple helix idea

Mirela Delibegovic, Dean for Industrial Engagement in Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Aberdeen and professor of diabetes physiology and signalling, one of the areas where the north-east’s life science companies are making significant progress in treatments.

“We’ve had a concept of the triple helix here in the north-east of Scotland for a while. That means a combination of academia, healthcare and industry. Now, ONE BioHub enables us all to work together.”

She points to the success of the Kendal Square neighbourhood in Boston, Massachussetts –which has been described as ‘the most innovative square mile on the planet’, given its dense concentration of successful life sciences start-ups and biotech research. In Professor Delibegovic’s opinion, ONE BioHub can be Aberdeen’s equivalent.

“I think this can be our potential journey for budding entrepreneurs and scientists to explore their ideas but also get the networks they require and the investment they need.

“Networks are incredibly important in life sciences. ONE BioHub provides mentors who can introduce you to the people you need to help you develop ideas or bring in funding.

“The idea here is that this would be an entrepreneurial campus. There could be accelerator programmes within ONE BioHub to support researchers and scientists with the know-how they need from how to pitch their idea, get IP protection for your idea to, very importantly, how to get funding to test that idea.

“ONE BioHub will be incredibly valuable in commercialising research in the north-east,” she says. “It is the physical space in which we can realise the triple helix idea.”

ONE BioHub is the foundation to foster the development of start-up life sciences companies

Professor Blackbourn concurs: “ONE BioHub is the foundation to foster the development of start-up life sciences companies, helping to create a pipeline of new medicines, diagnostics and technologies that improve patient health, wellbeing and quality of life. It will catalyse and accelerate ambition by providing a go-to place, almost a one-stop shop for all that academics need to take their research forward.”