Microbiotica relocates to Chesterford Research Park, Cambridge

Chesterford Research Park and Microbiotica, a leading player in microbiome-based therapeutics and biomarkers, announce that Microbiotica is relocating to the Park in a two-phase move that will be completed in June 2020.

Cambridge, UK, 19 November 2019: Chesterford Research Park and Microbiotica, a leading player in microbiome-based therapeutics and biomarkers, announce that Microbiotica is relocating to the Park in a two-phase move that will be completed in June 2020.

Microbiotica’s continuing development and expansion, and the ability of Chesterford Research Park to flexibly accommodate both Microbiotica’s immediate and longer-term growth requirements led to the Park being chosen as the preferred location.

Under the first phase of the relocation, Microbiotica is taking two suites within Chesterford Research Park’s Science Village, a short-term solution to facilitate current growth requirements. Until June 2020 Microbiotica will retain its current premises at the Wellcome Genome Campus, at which point the whole organisation will move into its own purpose designed facilities in the Newnham Building, which is currently undergoing reconfiguration and refurbishment.

Situated on a prominent position on the Park, within close reach of the well-appointed central Nucleus facilities, the Newnham Building will provide a newly constructed double height glazed reception to the western entrance as well as a new entrance to the eastern end of the building. The flexibility of the building has enabled it to be divided into individual suites, which can cater for a range of differing scientific activities.

Mike Romanos, Co-founder and CEO, Microbiotica said: “Following a period of rapid progress we require a new facility to support our current growth trajectory and to allow us to consolidate our whole team in one building. It is also important for us to stay in the Cambridge area and to continue to play an active role in the Cambridge life sciences cluster community. Chesterford Research Park has provided us with a solution for our immediate short-term expansion, which was important before our permanent facility, tailored to suit our future needs, is ready in Summer 2020. We very much appreciate the flexibility that Chesterford Research Park has shown us.”

There has been a high level of interest in the Newnham Building. Confirmation of Microbiotica’s pre-let, coupled with the recent announcement that existing Park occupier, Isomerase is also committed to a suite, leaves just one 11,518 sq ft (1,070 sq m) suite. This is currently being marketed by Savills and Cheffins.

William Clarke, Director, Office & R&D, Savills Cambridge Office commented: “Interest in the Newnham building has been exceptional, and I’m delighted that via flexibility of approach we have been able to accommodate Microbiotica’s requirements, both now and into the longer term. Chesterford’s development strategy is astute and is now paying dividends as it has enabled a range of accommodation to be created, suitable for both start-up and scale-up companies. It also gives us the ability to think creatively about suitable options for organisations such as Microbiotica, answering both short-term need and long-term expectations.”

Julian Cobourne, Senior Asset Manager, Aviva Investors, joint owners of Chesterford Research Park with Uttlesford District Council commented: “The combined commitment of both Aviva Investors and Uttlesford District Council to support the growing Cambridge cluster via the provision of superb lab/R&D facilities suitable for companies at all stages of development continues to drive our development objectives for Chesterford Research Park. The development of the Newnham Building has created significant interest; resulting in our increased ability to support both current occupiers as their requirements change and grow, in addition to attracting new occupiers to the Park. Chesterford Research Park is a vibrant community of exciting companies all concentrated on delivering the life science innovations of the future and I am delighted to welcome Microbiotica to that community.”

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Issued for and on behalf of Microbiotica by Instinctif Partners.
For more information please contact:

Microbiotica
Rowena Gardner
E: rgardner@microbiotica.com
T: +44 1223 786063 / +44 7801 480569

Instinctif Partners (for media enquiries)
Sue Charles/Dr Christelle Kerouedan/Phillip Marriage
E: microbiotica@instinctif.com
T: +44 20 7866 7860

Limewash (for media enquiries to CRP)
Sarah Brereton
E: sarah@limewash.co.uk
T: 01223 813 557 / 07796 583 223

About Chesterford Research Park, Cambridge
Chesterford Research Park has proven an ideal environment for life science companies to grow and prosper. Leading bioscience names that have located at Chesterford include AstraZeneca, Arecor, Charles River Laboratories, Domainex and Isogenica. The attractive 250-acre, low-density development is located close to Cambridge and the M11 with London just one hour away by train from nearby Audley End station, ensuring occupiers and visitors enjoy convenient and easy access. Stansted Airport is just 20 minutes’ drive away. Chesterford Research Park is owned by Aviva Investors and Uttlesford District Council.

Chesterford Research Park provides an innovative, flexible and future-proofed environment for both established and early-stage pharmaceutical, biotechnology and technology research and development companies, including Arecor, AstraZeneca, Cambridge Epigenetix, Charles River Laboratories, Domainex, Isomerase and Lonza. To date, more than 350,000 sq ft of laboratory R&D space has been let and occupied. Further phases of construction are proposed to extend the development to approximately 1 million sq ft.

Chesterford Research Park’s uniquely low-density development, set within 250 acres of impressive parkland, offers not only ultra-modern and energy efficient laboratory and office space, but also central ‘hub’ facilities within the purpose-built The Nucleus building. At the heart of the Park, the Nucleus houses a restaurant, café bar, health and fitness centre, and meeting and conferencing space, all of which can be accessed and enjoyed by both occupiers and visitors on a daily basis.

To find out more about Chesterford Research Park, including current availability please visit: www.chesterfordresearchpark.com

About Microbiotica

  • Microbiotica was established in December 2016 to develop and commercialise the ground-breaking research conducted at the Wellcome Sanger Institute into the role of the human gut microbiome in health and disease, and its application to medicine.
  • The Company was founded by Dr Mike Romanos, Dr Trevor Lawley and Professor Gordon Dougan, FRS. It is based at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridge, UK, with offices in the Biodata Innovation Centre and laboratories in the Sanger Institute and Chesterford Research Park’s Science Village.
  • Microbiotica has a unique capability to culture and genomically characterise the entirety of the bacteria in the human gut for the first time. It has the world’s largest microbiome genome database and culture collection, a suite of translational in vitro and animal models, and state of the art bioinformatics and AI. As such the company is well positioned to become a world leader in microbiome-based therapeutics and biomarkers,
  • Microbiotica has a focus on IBD and Immuno-Oncology, and a program in C. difficile which is spearheading innovation in development of live bacterial products. It has a $534m strategic collaboration with Genentech to discover, develop and commercialise biomarkers, targets and medicines for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It also has a research collaboration with the University of Adelaide.
  • Microbiotica has raised £12m in equity investment Cambridge Innovation Capital, IP Group plc and Seventure Partners.

Find out more at www.microbiotica.com, or connect with us via Twitter and LinkedIn.

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