Latest News
Researchers at the University of Sheffield and Orla receive funding to reduce use of animals in drug testing
11/01/2010. There is an increasing demand from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries for methods to replace the use of animals in drug testing. Dr Gwen Reilly’s team at the University of Sheffield are leaders in the investigation of culture methods for growth of bone cells in 3D. These methods are used as in vitro models and provide alternatives to animal experiments in orthopaedic research.
Dr Reilly has secured funding to work with Orla on the development and trial of novel in vitro cell culture products, via two project grants awarded by METRC: the N8 Molecular Engineering Translational Research Centre.
Dr Reilly’s group will investigate surfaces coated with Orla’s bio-active proteins to accelerate the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC’s) to produce high quality ‘bone-like’ material. MSC’s will be grown serum-free on a selection of Orla scaffolds, including modified gold, glass and polyester matrices which have been coated with proteins predicted to be suitable for MSC differentiation and bone formation.
Bone in vivo is subjected to continuous perfusion of fluid via the blood system. In a second, short term project, an Orla 3D Cell Carrier TM will be used in a fluid-flow bioreactor to investigate bone growth under ‘life-like’ conditions.
Orla presenting at Knowledge Transfer Network sensor meeting
4th March 2010 - Orla's founder and Scientific director, Professor Jeremy Lakey, will be presenting at the sensors and instrumentation knowledge transfer network Commercial R&D with research facilities meeting being held at Hamilton House on Thursday 11th March 2010.
Jeremy will be presenting a talk examining Orla’s use of neutron scattering to ensure the quality or our nanoscale thin films for diagnostics.
For more information just click on the links below
Meeting agenda
Sensors and instrumentation knowledge transfer network
Orla founder to give invited lecture at largest gathering of biophysicist in world
Professor Jeremy Lakey will give an invited lecture on beta barrel porin structure at the 54th Annual Meeting of the American Biophysical Society in San Francisco. The meeting is the largest gathering of biophysicists in the world and and takes place at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco, Feb 20th to 24th 2010.
http://www.biophysics.org/Default.aspx?alias=www.biophysics.org/2010meeting
Launch of OJ-Bio
11/11/2009. Today Orla announced a collaboration with a leading Japanese company which will bring new investment and jobs to the region.
OJ-Bio is a joint venture between Newcastle based Orla Protein Technologies Ltd and leading Japanese electronics company Japan Radio Co. Ltd (JRC).
The new venture will see a collaboration of biotechnology and electronic manufacturing expertise, to develop and market breakthrough technologies in hand-held diagnostic equipment.
Orla and JRC have been working together since November 2007 to develop a range of handheld wireless diagnostic devices, and last month cut the ribbon in Tokyo, Japan on the establishment of a joint venture to manufacture, promote and sell these devices across the world.
OJ-Bio will be based at Newcastle’s Centre for Life. Capital Sharing for Orla is 80% and JRC 20%, and the company is expected to create a number of highly skilled jobs from the outset.
Dale Athey, Chief Executive Officer, Orla Protein Technologies Ltd, said: “The devices may be made in Japan but we will be designing and making the bio components in the North East and performing all our research and development here too. We plan to sell the devices worldwide and keep Orla moving forward, developing our technology and product platform in the North East.
“This sort of device will open up new opportunities in the £10bn diagnostics marketplace. It’s a multi-million pound opportunity and will bring significant returns to Orla, its stakeholders and the North East economy.”
The ground-breaking technology will see new diagnostic devices used by doctors and paramedics to identify, diagnose and monitor patients at the point of care.
The technology will allow rapid test results for viruses and bacteria, for example infectious diseases such as flu, bacterial infections such as ‘super-bug’ MRSA and protein markers of conditions such as heart attacks.
It’s thought the devices could revolutionise patient testing as it allows rapid sensitive detection at the point of care where there is no need for complicated equipment and wireless transmission can send results instantly to a network.
Example uses could include testing a person for a virus in the African wilderness and sending the results back to a hospital in a main city, or testing for Foot & Mouth Disease in a field in Northumberland with the results being sent straight back to DEFRA for co-ordinated result control.
One North East has backed the business with financial and business support to allow the company to get to this stage. One North East Chairman Margaret Fay said: “The launch of OJ-Bio is a demonstration of how North East companies are developing world-leading technologies in areas like Healthcare and Life Sciences.
“It’s also rewarding to know that One North East has been able to support Orla Protein’s investment in R&D and help them build relationships overseas with partners like Japan Radio Co, Ltd. to help bring this project to fruition.”
Dale added: “With their expertise in electronics manufacturing, Japanese companies were an obvious target and for around four years we have been aiming for a partnership to develop our diagnostic devices.
“We used the resources of One North East’s Investment and Aftercare team from day one and I can safely say that this collaboration would not have happened if it hadn’t been for the agency. We have established a network and business links in Japan thanks to One North East and now we have our own agent in the country.
“We are excited about developing this product with Japan Radio Company and continue to work on new technologies that could be brought to the commercial marketplace and seek new opportunities through our trade links in Japan.”
Orla’s development has also been supported by a series of investments from NEL Capital, the venture capital division of regional fund management firm NEL Fund Managers Ltd.
Click here to download the full press release
Orla attending UK Nanoforum 2009
November 2009 - Orla will be attending the UK NanoForum & Emerging Technologies 2009 on 3 - 4 November 2009 in London.
Orla's CEO, Dale Athey, will be giving a presentation examing the integration of devices and materials with biological systems on day 1 at 12:45
Click here for more information about the meeting
Click here for more information about Dale's presentation
Orla has moved
September 2009 - Orla have completed a move to new larger laboratories at the International Centre for Life Bioscience Incubator. The move will allow Orla to continue expanding whilst remaining in Newcastle city centre.
Orla Biosurfaces featured in Materials today
August 2009 - An article discussing the biosensors Orla are developing is featured in a special neutron scattering issue of Materials Today.
Click here to download the Neutron Scattering special edition of Materials Today
Or you can just view the Orla article
Orla attending ISSCR 2009 in Barcelona
We will be exhibiting ISSCR 2009 in Barcelona from 8th-11th July. Come and visit us at booth 70.
Orla to attend UKNSCN 2009 meeting in Oxford
12th March 2009 - Orla will once again be exhibiting at the annual meeting of the UK national stem cell network. This years meeting at the University of Oxford's Examination schools from 6-8th April 2009. Come at visit us at our trade stand.
Orla attending Nanotech 2009 in Tokyo
Dec. 19th 2008; Orla will be attending the Nanotech 2009 in Tokyo Japan. The event will be at Tokyo Big Sight between February 18th-20th 2009.
If you are attending the meeting visit the Orla trade stand at the UK Pavillion
Click here for more information about the meeting
Omron present data using Orla Technology
September 22nd 2008; Omron Corporation presented data obtained using Orla technology with their localized surface plasmon resonance system at the 46th Chemical Sensor Symposium, Japan.
Orla benefit from latest Technology Strategy Board funding
September 19th 2008; Orla have benefited from the latest round of Technology Strategy Board funding.
Orla's respiratory virus detection project was one of 22 different projects selected for funding.
Orla presenting at Advamed 2008
August 19th, 2008 - Orla will be attending Advamed 2008, 21st-24th September 2008 in Washington DC.
Orla's CEO, Dale Athey, will be giving a presentation in the company presentations session on Wednesday 24th September.
Orla student presenting at Gordon Conference
July 4th 2008 - Michael Cooke, One of Orla's sponsored PhD students, is presenting a poster at the Gordon Research Conference examining Signal Transduction by engineered extracellular matrices.
The meeting is taking place at Bates College, Lewiston, Maine and runs from the 6th to the 11th of July 2008.
A copy of his poster is available here
Orla to attend ISSCR 2008
Orla are attending the 6th International Society for Stem Cell Research Annual meeting.
The meeting is being held in Philadelphia between the 11-14th June 2008.
Come and visit us on stand number 530.
Exhibition hall floor plan.
Lord Digby Jones, Minister for Trade & Investment, visits Orla Protein Technologies Ltd
May 2nd, 2008. Lord Digby Jones, Minister for Trade & Investment, has praised the innovation and dynamism of companies in the North East during a visit to the region.
Lord Jones was visiting companies in Gateshead and Newcastle at the invitation of UK Trade & Investment’s North East region. UK Trade & Investment is the government’s international business development organisation.
He also visited Orla Protein Technologies, based in Newcastle. Orla Protein Technologies is a nano-biotechnology company that was spun-out of the University of Newcastle in 2001. It is now a world leader in an aspect of biotechnology called protein-engineering. The technology is enabling the convergence of materials and electronics with biotechnology.
Orla’s new technique allows more accurate detection of bacteria, viruses or proteins in blood. Under a new deal with leading Japanese electronics manufacturer Japan Radio Co LTd (JRC), Orla’s technology will be incorporated into diagnostic devices, which can be used by doctors and paramedics to perform near patient testing. Without the requirement for complex equipment, a test could be performed at a patient’s bedside rather than in a laboratory, resulting in earlier and more effective treatment for patients.
UK Trade & Investment helped the company establish an export plan and helped them join UK Trade & Investment’s R&D programme, which puts them in touch with specialist business development advisers and highlights good examples of R&D.
Lord Jones said: “All these companies know that to succeed they must make use of all the opportunities globalisation offers. They also need a skilled workforce. We cannot compete with economies like China and India on price alone but what these two companies prove is that we can compete with them on quality.
“Orla Protein is exactly the sort of company that the region should be proud of. It is innovative and the university is helping to produce a skilled workforce and provide entrepreneurial companies in the region’s economy.”
Dale Athey, CEO of Orla Protein Technologies Ltd, said: “We have shown that when leading edge science and technology, good products and people are combined with quality support, we can compete on the world stage.”
Two Orla PhD studentships announced
Orla are collaborating on two very different PhD projects with Professor Jeremy Lakey, Newcastle University (UK).
The first project is a BBSRC CASE studentship examining the physical methods for the analysis of complex biomolecular layers.
The other project is a 4 year MRC Industrial Collaborative PhD studentship, examining the use of 3D protein-scaffolds for cell culture.
For more information on either of the projects just click on the links below
Analysis of biomolecular layers - BBSRC CASE Studentship
3D cell culture - MRC Studentship
Orla to attend UKNSCN meeting.
Orla will be attending the inaugural UK National Stem Cell Network annual meeting in Edinburgh April 9th-11th 2008.
If you are attending the meeting visit the Orla trade stand and see our range of cell culture surfaces and bio-active proteins.
Click here for more information about the meeting
BMP-2 motif added to cell culture range
Proteins containing the knuckle motif from Bone morphogenetic protein 2 have been added to Orla's expanding range of cell culture products.
Click here to visit the cell culture section of the Orla website
Orla proteins enhance cell attachment
A paper showing enhanced cell attachment when using surfaces coated with Orla proteins has been published in the latest issue of Cytotechnology.
Click here to view the paper
Click here to visit the cell culture section of the Orla website
Japan-UK companies collaborate to develop novel hand-held wireless diagnostic devices
Nov. 21st, 2007. Early-stage nanobiotechnology firm Orla Protein Technologies Ltd (Orla) and leading Japanese electronics manufacturer Japan Radio Co., Ltd. (JRC) have today signed an agreement for the next stage in their ongoing development of a range of ground-breaking diagnostic devices.
The novel devices will be used by doctors and paramedics to perform near patient testing without the requirement for complex equipment resulting in earlier and more effective treatment for patients and providing savings for healthcare providers. Simple to use, small, low cost and portable they will provide instant test results for viruses, bacteria and protein markers. Test results will be stored electronically, and be capable of wireless transmission, opening significant opportunities in the multi-million dollar diagnostics market.
JRC is an established leader in the development of surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices which are currently used in mobile phones and other wireless electronic devices. Orla is pioneering the convergence of such technologies with life sciences applications by utilising proprietary surface technology. The collaboration will make mass manufacture of these bio-devices a reality.
Dr Hiromi Yatsuda, Deputy General Manager of the JRC SAW device R&D centre said “JRC was founded in 1915 and Orla in 2002. We are different nationalities and from different industrial fields, but we are now working together to create state-of-the-art biosensor products for human healthcare. “
Dr Dale Athey, CEO of Orla, commented, “We are honoured to be working with such an established partner as Japan Radio. Their expertise in mass manufacture and sensor technology, combined with Orla’s novel biosurface technology provides a unique opportunity to create a leading position in the biodiagnostic marketplace.”
Full press release
Orla to attend ASSOCHAM summit on Biotechnology & Nanotechnology, New Delhi
Orla's founder and Scientific Director, Professor Jeremy Lakey, will be presenting at ASSOCHAM 5th Global Knowledge Millennium Summit on B2B in Biotechnology and Nanotechnology at Hotel Intercontinental The Grand In New Delhi on 19th September 2007.
Nano-Bio 2007 website
STEMDIAGNOSTICS PROJECT LAUNCH
22 August 2007
New healthcare technology development project launched to improve patient outcome and the success rate of haematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT)
€3.5 million research and development programme is launched today to improve the success rate of stem cell transplants, including bone marrow transplants for Leukaemia patients. Professor Anne Dickinson, Haematological Sciences, Newcastle University, leads the programme in partnership with a consortium of 13 leading European clinical research institutes and biotech firms.
Known as StemDiagnostics, the consortium will aim to identify new bio-markers (indicators of transplant rejection and clinical complications) and develop medical diagnostic tests that will help practitioners to improve the success rate of allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT), treatments for life threatening medical conditions and cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma and inherited immune disorders.
Around 7,000 such transplants take place throughout Europe each year, but the survival rate is low (40 – 60 per cent) and decreases rapidly with patient age. The application of HSCT therapy is also hampered by the lack of suitable matched donors: only 25 –30 per cent of patients find a compatible sibling donor.
Such transplants involve the use of bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells and umbilical cord blood as stem cell sources.
The project, which follows 3 year’s research by Professor Dickinson and the Consortium, aims to develop tests with the use of the latest bionano and lab-on-a-chip techniques provided by SMEs such as Orla Protein Technologies, also based in North East England.
Professor Anne Dickinson, commented: “The project is the first of its kind to bring together research looking at a variety of different biomarkers – or indicators of post transplant complications. These include DNA and proteins. From this work, we hope to be able to develop new diagnostic tools using genomics, proteomics, in vitro bioassays and biochips, to aid in earlier clinical intervention by predicting any complications which may arise in our bone marrow transplant patients.”
StemDiagnostics will develop new proteomic, biological and genomic tests for predicting patient response prior to transplant and subsequently for monitoring of patient response to novel therapeutics for the most severe complication of HSCT – graft versus host disease (GvHD). The consortium aims to bring to the clinic the next generation of diagnostics tests for use in HSCT.
To meet this challenge, StemDiagnostics brings together five of European’s leading small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with expertise in genomic and proteomic testing, diagnostic assay development and biochips, with clinical partners selected for their world-leading research in HSCT and access to clinical samples and patient groups. The SMEs include Mosaiques Diagnostics, Multimmune, IMGM Laboratories, Apotech and Orla Protein Technologies.
The programme is funded by the European Commission to the tune of €2.5M over next three years, through the EU Sixth Framework Programme under the Life Sciences and Health theme. The consortium provides for the remaining investment.
Orla secure R&D grant to develop self-assembling antibody reagents
Orla has secured a research and development grant from the dti and ONE North East to develop self-assembling antibody reagents for applications in diagnostic sensors.