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Molecular Light Technology MLT Research Limited 5 Chiltern Close Cardiff Industrial Park CF14 5DL www.mltresearch.com Stuart Woodhead The Invention Why Sensitivity? 100,000,000,000,000,000,000-------1020 10,000,000,000,000,000,000-------1019 1,000,000 000 000,000,000-------1018 100,000,000,000,000,000-------1017 10,000,000,000,000,000-------1016 1,000,000,000,000,000-------1015 100,000,000,000,000-------1014 10,000,000,000,000-------1013 1,000,000,000,000-------1012 100,000,000,000-------1011 10,000,000,000-------1010 1,000,000,000-------109 100,000,000-------108 10,000,000-------107 1,000,000-------106 Legal limit (UK) Glucose Alcohol Lethal dose amatoxin Tumour antigens Hormones Viruses Milestones • • • • • • • • • • 1977 Project started 1978 First patent application 1982 Synthesis of acridinium label 1984 Measurement of TSH 1986 First commercial immunoassay 1989 First commercial probe assay 1991 Launch of ACS-180 1997 Centaur 2001 Blood Bank tests 2003 TIGRIS Company History 1988 MLT incorporated 1991 First premises - main activity contract R & D 1992 Started manufacturing 1996 Acquired funding 1997 Business strategy developed TCS programme to monitor specific gene expression 1998 Licensing of genetic probe technology The Move 1999 Implementation of new technology 2000 First gene expression test launched 2003 Acquisition by Gen-Probe Molecular Light Technology Year 1995 1998 2000 2002 No of Staff 7 12 15 25 Turnover (thousands) 812 2,068 3,113 4,000 Purpose of the Business •To become a major supplier of high technology tests for industrial, pharmaceutical and toxicological applications. •To achieve recognition as a centre of excellence for the development of intellectual property, novel technologies and products. •To maintain profitable growth and create long term value for all stakeholders. Growing the Business • Protecting the technology • Finding the right people to work with • Understanding clearly roles and responsibilities • Knowledge transfer • Knowing when to stop Intellectual Property • High value • Patent costs • Patent prosecution • Licensing • Infringement • Litigation Product Development • Scale up from prototype • Documentation • Raw materials • Validation • Quality control The Products • Immunoassays for diabetes research (proinsulin) • Gene-based assays for toxicological investigation (CYP) • Assays for enzymes involved in viral/bacterial replication (ligase, helicase, primase etc) Hybridisation Protection Assay (HPA) Target Gene mRNA AE AE-probe Protection AE Hydrolysis No Light Cell Suspension Treated with Benzopyrene 0.12 fm ol CYP1A1/fm ol beta-actin 0.10 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0.00 0hrs untreated 0hrs - DMSO 6hrs - DMSO 6hrs - 30µM BaP 12hrs DMSO 12hrs - 30µM BaP Treatm ent 24hrs DMSO 24hrs - 30µM 48hrs -DMSO 48hrs - 30µM BaP BaP The Future • Human toxicology • Hepatotoxicity • Neurotoxicity • Chemical carcinogenesis • Drug discovery • Food and water microbiology New Intellectual Property • 8 patents filed since 1997 • Genetic Biosensors • Drug discovery • Fuel marking • Chemiluminescent beacons The Lessons • Patent where possible • Develop educated conviction • Be persistent • Have a strategy • Continue to innovate • Learn from mistakes