In our Ones to Watch section, we highlight some of the top movers and shakers in Ireland. This week we feature Valitacell.
What is it?
Valitacell enables biopharmaceutical companies to produce the hi-tech drugs that are used to treat cancer and rare diseases, faster, cheaper and with greater regulatory confidence, by transforming the way that these drugs are manufactured.
Who’s behind it?
Valitacell was founded in 2015 by Dr Terry McWade and Dr Jerry Clifford. Dr Terry McWade (CEO) brings a combination of research and commercial experience having led research in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and chaired the European Vaccine Initiative in Heidelberg. He has worked as CEO of an international pharmaceutical company in Denmark and led the healthcare team in the London office of the Boston Consulting Group.
The research underpinning the Valitacell technology was originally conceived by Dr Jerry Clifford in 2011 whilst he was commercial director of an Irish lifescience company.
How is it funded?
Valitacell is privately funded with over €1.6m having been raised to date including Enterprise Ireland investment of €200,000 under its HPSU scheme. Valitacell was recently awarded €2.03 million in funding from the EU Horizon 2020 programme.
This funding will allow Valitacell to accelerate the commercialisation of a new novel disruptive technology which will transform how biologic drugs are manufactured.
Future plans?
Valitacell is growing rapidly with new customers in Europe, US and Asia, and growing their commercial effort with partners in India, China, Korea and Europe.
A new product will be launched in autumn, which should bring in more major international biopharmaceutical companies to join existing customers who include MedImmune, GE Healthcare and Shire.
Business & Finance, in association with Comtrade Digital Services, recognises Ireland’s most dynamic emerging businesses in ‘Ones to Watch’.
Ireland is alive with a vibrant start-up scene and the entrepreneurs featured are shaping the country’s economic landscape.
