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Virus busters scoop government cash to further boost R&D

Leading Cheshire bio-technology research firm Arcis-Altos Group has clinched additional cash support from the government just days after receiving £1m from the Calculus Capital EIS fund.

Based at Sci-Tech Daresbury, Arcis-Altos has developed Noroclear, a disinfection product scientifically proven to combat norovirus within one minute. It has now received £100,000 from the Government’s materials and manufacturing launchpad.

The group will be using this extra investment for additional research and development.

Group CEO Peter Whitehurst said: “This is fantastic news particularly as it comes straight after our £1m investment. I believe this demonstrates real investor confidence in the role that the company’s technology could play in the molecular diagnostics sector. The company is clearly viewed as having winning technology to contribute to further growth in the global Biomedical sector.”

Meanwhile, the £1m investment is being used to accelerate development activities focusing on DNA extraction from cells and the subsequent protection of the DNA to allow diagnostic devices to provide a more accurate analysis. This opportunity is expected to further revolutionise the molecular diagnostic sector, an area which is increasingly relied upon in both medical and forensic sciences.

Arcis-Altos has successfully launched its anti-microbial technologies in its Sporeclear and Noroclear brands. These products are aimed at professional and consumer markets for cleaning and disinfection of hands, hard surfaces and medical devices.

Other development applications are aimed at increasing crop yields, improving soil and enhancing turf maintenance for golf courses and other playing surfaces.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .