As autumn begins, Discovery Park continues to thrive with activity. We’re welcoming new tenants, starting our latest growth programme and hosting events that highlight our dedication to driving innovation and progress in Kent.
Asymchem’s European HQ
A summer highlight was the inauguration of Asymchem’s European headquarters and pilot manufacturing site in August. Formerly part of Pfizer, this facility already employs over 70 local staff, with plans for expansion by the end of this year.
Dr Hao Hong, chairman and CEO of Asymchem, joined us for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, highlighting the strategic advantages of our location in Kent, with its excellent connectivity to London and Europe. Asymchem’s focus on advanced manufacturing, including new capabilities for peptides and oligonucleotides by 2025, and sustainable practices like continuous flow and biocatalysis, underscores their forward-thinking approach and our park’s ability to support global companies.
Home for new life science startups
We are also so pleased to welcome three new life science startups – Biowaived, Matheus Engineering, and Particology Ltd – all contract research organisations founded by former Pfizer employees affected by the company’s recent restructuring.
Biowaived, led by Mark McAllister, provides experimental services and consultancy to help pharmaceutical companies better predict the performance of their medicines. MatheusEngineering, co-founded by Dr Suju Mathew and Dr Jinu Mathew, focuses on chemical process engineering for the pharmaceutical and fine chemical sectors, and Particology Ltd, led by Lisa Taylor, specialises in particle technology research and consultancy, with its team of six already contributing to bringing new medicines to market.
We are proud to have helped establish these businesses by providing tailored mentorship and resources, including support from our on-site Barclays Eagle Lab, and we look forward to seeing their continued success as part of Discovery Park’s growing life sciences community.
Discovery Spark is empowering startups
Our Discovery Spark programme enters its third phase this October. This six-week initiative helps early-stage life science businesses refine their commercial strategies and prepare for investment. The winning startup will receive a prize package worth over £50,000, including free lab or office space and comprehensive business support. Previous winners BugBiomeand Minter Hormone Health have shown remarkable progress, demonstrating the programme’s impact.
Skills Forward Conference – Future-Ready
On 8 October, we’re hosting the Skills Forward Conference – Future-Ready, which will focus on bridging the gap between education and industry. Attendees will benefit from workshops, networking, and discussions on upskilling and preparing for a rapidly evolving job market.
Championing women’s health
Women’s health remains a focus for us. Despite comprising 52% of the population, women’s unique health challenges – from menopause to heart disease – are often underfunded, with only 4% of global healthcare R&D funding directed towards this area. Historical research gaps and underrepresentation in clinical trials have left many needs unmet.
Our recent Discovery Spark programme, dedicated to women’s health, achieved significant progress for several companies, with support from NHS Kent and Medway and Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex. We’re committed to advancing innovation in this sector and will host an event in March 2025 to further raise awareness and support.
We’re also looking forward to participating in the Giant Health Event in London on 9 and 10December. This major event will showcase healthcare innovations and health-tech entrepreneurship. We’ll host the Innovation, Investment and Impact Show and a Women’s Health panel, focusing on sector advancements and successful commercialisation and investment strategies.
Join us for the Christmas market
As the year draws to a close, we invite you to our Christmas Market on 4 December. This festive event will open our doors to the community, and we encourage local businesses to get in touch about having a stall. For more details on the market and all our upcoming events, please visit our website.
Article written by Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park.
To find out more about Discovery Park, visit www.discovery-park.co.uk.
