NextGen Sciences attracts new investors and builds its Board of Directors

March 11th 2004 NextGen Sciences (Cambridgeshire, UK and Boston, US) today announced that it has closed a significant round of funding and has made a key appointment to its Board of Directors.

The investment, co-led by Create Partners Limited and a group of investors based in Germany, will be used by NextGen Sciences to support the commercialisation of the recently launched technologies, the a2DETM and the expressionfactoryTM, and will facilitate the company’s rapid development.

The CREATE East of England Fund was closed at £20m in November 2003, and NextGen Sciences is its first investment. “We were keen to make our first investment in NextGen Sciences. We are backing an extremely experienced management team, and a company that has a proven ability to successfully commercialise its technologies. Create Partners is building a focused portfolio of investments based on companies using technological advances to solve business problems, and NextGen Sciences’ business model was an appealing opportunity.” commented Mr Boyd Mulvey, CEO and founder of Create Partners.

As part of NextGen Sciences’ new relationship with Create Partners, Mr Mulvey has been appointed to NextGen Sciences’ board of directors. Having spent over fifteen years providing strategic and financial advice to both leading international and smaller UK-based businesses, Mr Mulvey brings substantial experience in corporate finance to the Board of NextGen Sciences. In the past, Mr Mulvey has worked at board level in leading financial institutions including CSFP (now CSFB) and UBS, and has managed the listing (IPO) of over forty UK companies.

Dr Kevin Auton, CEO NextGen Sciences commented “ I am delighted to announce the completion of this round of funding and to welcome Mr Mulvey to the board. Our new alliance with Create Partners will broaden our ability to build on the company’s strengths and bring our technology solutions to the market. Mr Mulvey brings the significant expertise necessary to catalyse the development of NextGen Sciences and drive the company forward to the next stage as our sales build throughout 2004.”

Over the coming months NextGen Sciences intends to appoint further executives and non-executives to the board, and to extend the company’s commercial teams.

For further information please contact: Lorna Watson (Marketing Manager)
t: +44 (0) 1480 420 974 e: lorna.watson@nextgensciences.com 

About NextGen Sciences
NextGen Sciences Ltd (Cambridgeshire, UK and Boston, US) is a leading provider of integrated solutions for protein research. The company’s advanced technologies fully automate established, complex research techniques, improving results and accelerating discovery.

With a team of skilled individuals comprising expert discovery scientists, software and design engineers, NextGen Sciences is uniquely positioned to rapidly progress technology solutions from design concept to market. The company has a strong track record of launching first to market products and has achieved an international reputation for successfully commercialising technology.

In August 2003 NextGen Sciences launched two unique technologies. The expressionfactoryTM, which fully automates protein expression from gene to protein, and the a2DETM, which separates proteins by 2-dimensional electrophoresis, without user supervision or intervention.

About Create Partners Limited
Create Partners Limited (CREATE), is the venture capitalist company managing the CREATE East of England Fund. The company invests in and advises early stage high growth businesses and accelerates their development in order to maximise value through the provision of capital, strategic advice and comprehensive business development services.

CREATE is building a focused portfolio of investments based on companies which utilise technological advancements to provide solutions to existing business needs.