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£3.7m SE cancer research project axed

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Published Date: 27 August 2006
By DOUGLAS FRIEDLI
SCOTTISH Enterprise's flagship ITI research project has suffered a fresh blow with the cancellation of a £3.7m project aimed at tackling breast cancer.
ITI Life Sciences said it had terminated its first research programme, launched 18 months ago, because of a lack of time and money. Its former research partners may now develop the technology alone.

An ITI spokeswoman said: "Ultimately we reached
the point when the probability of overcoming technical challenges within the timescales and resources allocated was so low we could not continue."

The research institute network was hit recently by the resignation of ITI Scotland chief executive Roger Dickinson - the fourth senior executive to walk out in a year.

ITI Life Sciences, based in Dundee, is still without a chief executive, 10 months after former boss John Chiplin walked out.

ITI's partners on the cancelled programme were CSS Albachem, an East Lothian company owned by the biotechnology tycoon Allen McClay; Edinburgh Instruments, a spin-out from Heriot-Watt University; and Hannah Interactions, a commercial offshoot of the Hannah Research Institute.

The ITI spokeswoman said: "Two of the research providers have decided to continue with certain aspects of the programme independently, and are negotiating licences with ITI Life Sciences to use the intellectual assets generated within the programme."

She added the premature end of the project could be seen as a step forward. "We have this week signed one contract which represents the very first commercialisation of technology created by an ITI Programme. That's a very exciting development.

"It also means that the taxpayer will still benefit from any eventual commercial application of the technology from this discontinued programme."

Not all of the £3.7m allocated to the programme over three years had been spent, she said.



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1

Robert,

Kirriemuir 27/08/2006 21:53:30

Westernised countries have spent billions over that past 3 decades on cancer research with almost nil progress in cancer's treatment yet over the same period it has become evident and is becoming more evident that our Westernised processed food products are causing cancer and many of the other serious illness too that are on the increase and research is proving this but, typically, it is being ignored.

There is very little food on our plates today that has not been interfered with by man and not in the interest of the public's health either but rather for profit. Young people generally are very resilient healthwise but through years of poor nutrition, begin to suffer from chronic disease from around middleage onwards and the irony is that it is preventable!

Contrary to our cherised beliefs, brought about by the propaganda of the food conglomerates, animals fat and red meat is actually good for the body. The evidence from antiquity alone tells us this. Polyunsaturated fat (mainly vegetable oils) supress the immune system and corbohydrates raise our blood sugar levels to the diabetic levels and after years of high BS levels and lowered immunity we suffer either from diabetes or related ill-health problems.

There is some evidence pointing to behavioural problems arising from our modern diet and possibly even homosexuality may be one of those symptoms.

To provide some evidence of this problem take for example influenza and other viral symptoms; medical research about 40 or so years ago discovered that coconut brought about a rapid cure yet did GPs tells us this? Today, the elderly are given injections to ward off influenza when it is unnecessary but the pharmaceutical companies are enjoying the rewards. If coconut is taken with olive leaf extract and virgin oregano oil (not the culinary stuff) which are synergistic influenza and other bacterial symptoms will be cured in a few short hours.

Finally, the nutrient Q10 taken at high dosages

2

Dr Mike,

Edinburgh 28/08/2006 06:18:06

The notion that Biotech is going to save Scotland's economy is a gross misuse of public money. These are companies that use public funding to embark on nice projects for very nice wages, then the majority of them fail. Even if the odd one succeeds, much of the eventual production is done abroad, and a few individuals get rich.

We struggle to do many things in this country, rather poorly - two examples would be hospital care & hygiene and elderly care. That's where the money will make the most positive impact on the quality of our society.

I say we should suspend all new funding in Life Sciences and Biotech until the current recipients are profitable and paying Scotland back, with substantial interest. In particular, Scottish Enterprise's influence in this area should be suspended or terminated.

3

Patrick,

Glasgow 29/08/2006 14:35:15

In reponse to Mike's comment, I'm not sure the 28000 or so who are gainfully employed in life sciences in Scotland, and therefore making a positive contribution to the Scottish economy would agree with his view.

Scotland is fortunate to have some world leading scientists and companies whose research makes a difference not only to the quality of the lives of many Scots but also impacts globally.

Maybe we should be supporting an area of strength rather than constantly trying to find fault - something some of us don't seem to struggle with.


 

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