A leading NHS spinout will be speaking this week at one of the premier gatherings of the UK’s clinical trial sector, sharing vital insights on its global investor experiences

Biopharmaceutical company Aurum Biosciences is appearing as part of a panel discussion at the fourth annual COG UK gathering, held at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington, London from 3-4 March.

The event will bring together senior decision-makers from across the spectrum of UK trial sponsors to hear from thought leaders within industry, regulator and academia.

It is also an opportunity for Aurum to spotlight its world-leading innovation in stroke treatment and recent selection for a Department for Business and Trade (DBT) visit to India.

A spinout of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, InnoScot Health, and the University of Glasgow, Aurum continues to develop a novel drug for therapeutics and multiple diagnostics in significant areas of unmet clinical need including acute stroke.

Chief Executive, Dr David Brennan, has been invited to take part in a keynote panel session entitled ‘Biopharma Investment and Operations in the UK: From Discovery to Clinic’, taking place on COG UK’s second day.

The discussion will see “industry leaders share first-hand experiences of navigating recent funding challenges across the UK biopharma sector”.

It will examine how investor sentiment varies between therapeutic areas, development stages, and the strategic implications for portfolio prioritisation from discovery through clinical trials.

David and other panel members will explore innovative financing structures including milestone-driven funding and strategic collaborations.

He said: “COG attendees will hear how Aurum agrees that the UK currently stands at a pivotal moment, and that opportunities to reclaim global leadership in pharmaceutical innovation must be taken advantage of, despite homegrown challenges.

“Successful navigation of the investment landscape for UK biotechnology now requires agility and close understanding of investor sentiment amid evolving market conditions.

“We are currently seeing a trend towards re-investing in current portfolios rather than in new companies, so right now it’s about breaking down barriers and demonstrating the significant value for them in making that leap.”

David added: “We further plan to tell COG about our selection by the DBT for a trade mission to India last month and how it has expanded our knowledge considerably. It is an overlooked market in many ways and one that others should be taking a closer look at with great investment into biotech and innovation taking place.”

The Glasgow-based company recognises that only about 10% of patients suffering from acute stroke — the world’s second biggest killer and leading cause of disability — are able to access current therapeutics, significantly impacting their outcomes in time-critical situations.

Aurum’s patented ABL-101 platform technology has the potential to dramatically change that for the overwhelming 90% of patients currently missing out during emergencies through its promise to help treat the stroke-related oxygen deprivation which can quickly cause brain damage.

Aurum says that for every minute of ischemic stroke, 1.9 million neurons and 14 billion synapses are lost, but ABL-101 — an injectable oxygen carrier that is up to 45 times smaller than red blood cells — can bypass the blockage or move through collateral vessels when red blood cells cannot.

ABL-101 has undergone significant pre-clinical development and has completed early phase 1 and 2a human studies. Phase 2 trials in stroke and inflammation imaging are planned this year, underlining its huge promise.

Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson said: “We welcome Aurum’s presence at COG UK — a strong platform for investment knowledge exchange and engaging others in sharing the company’s vision.

“ABL-101 continues to receive huge interest, and rightfully so. Its promise will only be further enhanced as Aurum continues to raise its global profile and make exciting new connections.”