Page 11 - Periodic Issue 04

OxStem: A new record- Anatomy and Genetics. The activity of an impressive array of
breaking company to design cell collaborators across 5 University departments is coordinated
day-to-day by Oxford chemistry alumnus Dr Amy Varney, under
reprogramming therapies for the direction of experienced entrepreneurs Dr Michael Stein
age-related diseases (CEO) and Raymond Spencer (CFO). In addition, the team is
supported by a stellar scientific advisory board, including world-
Earlier this year the chemistry renowned biologist and geneticist Dr J. Craig Venter responsible
department saw one of its most for sequencing most of the human genome.
ambitious spin-outs to date come OxStem’s unique structure is something of a first for the
to fruition. In fact, it wasn’t just a University. As a ‘spin out’, OxStem is already spawning daughter
record for the chemistry department companies (or “stems”) with specific disease focuses, that are
so much as for the UK; according to nested within the university. In addition to the chemistry co-
Oxford University Innovation, the founders, every stem has its own set of specialised academic co-
newly spawned ‘OxStem Ltd’ was founders and collaborators within the university, encompassing
the largest fundraise on record for some 80 people in total. The first four stems are: Oncology
a spin out of a UK university (May (co-founded by Prof Sten Eirik Jacobsen, Prof Paresh Vyas, Prof
2016) raising an impressive £16.9m for regenerative medicine Petter Woll, Prof Thomas Milne and Prof Tariq Enver of UCL),
research.
Neuro (co-founded by Prof Francis Szele, Dr Graham Wynne
What is OxStem doing and why? We are a regenerative and Dr Julie Davies), Ocular (co-founded by Prof Robert
medicine drug discovery company. Our vision is to work MacLaren) and Cardio (co-founded by Prof Paul Riley and Prof
with energy and drive to change lives for the better; by Roger Patient). Once these are operational, we plan to spin-out
discovering new drugs to treat age–related diseases such further stems. With such a broad scientific talent base, we’re
as neurodegenerative disease, cardiac disease and macular hoping to achieve some amazing things and are thrilled to be
degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in the doing so in the very special place that is Oxford.
Western World. We also have a new game changing approach to
combating cancer.

OxStem has a unique approach: we design small molecules
to modify stem and progenitor cells in vivo. This contrasts
with most stem cell therapies, which are based on a whole cell
approach – isolation, growth and re-injection of cells into
patients. The problem with this is that there are often tolerance
issues, and the practice is expensive and requires specialist
hospital equipment for treating patients.
Who are OxStem? We are a team of talented scientists,
clinicians and entrepreneurs who are full of optimism that
we will have a huge positive impact on society. The OxStem
approach builds on the medicinal chemistry expertise within
Prof Steve Davies and Prof Angela Russell’s groups here in the
CRL, where all of the chemistry research for OxStem currently L-R: OxStem Ltd Co-founders Prof Steve Davies (Chemistry), Prof
takes place. Biology and genetics expertise is aptly provided Dame Kay Davies (DPAG), Prof Angela Russell (Chemistry and
by Prof Dame Kay Davies in the Department of Physiology, Pharmacology) and OxStem Project Coordinator Dr Amy Varney.

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Periodic
The Magazine of the Department of Chemistry