The company promotes a range of assay kits designed for the specific measurement of active protease biomarkers of disease. Our easy-to-use tests incorporate patented “ProteaseTags®”; smart molecules which trap an active protease within a complex biological sample and enable a visual readout of its presence.
The company has registered a CE Mark for activity-based immunoassays targeting Neutrophil Elastase (NE) and Proteinase 3, as biomarkers of lung infection and inflammation in chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis.
This technology has been translated in to a point-of-care test (NEATstik®), to enable ongoing monitoring of active NE levels. Recently published data has shown that measuring active NE levels using NEATstik® enables identification of patients with airway bacterial infection and those patients at highest risk of suffering pulmonary exacerbations over the subsequent 12 months.
In addition to proteases, the company also has significant expertise in the measurement of other inflammatory biomarkers, including IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha.
Aside from the provision of assays, ProAxsis is able to offer sample analysis at its purpose-built laboratory facility in Belfast, and is currently supporting a number of pharmaceutical company-sponsored Phase I, II and III clinical trials.
ProAxsis was founded in August 2013 by Professor Brian Walker and Dr Lorraine Martin, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast. By September, ProAxsis had won the overall Northern Ireland Science Park’s 25K Award for entrepreneurialism and in February 2014, the first seed investment from partners NetScientific plc and QUBIS Ltd was secured. In September 2014, they were the first company in Northern Ireland to win a prestigious Horizon 2020 SME Instrument Award.
In 2018, the company was declared the ``Innovative Business of the Year`` at the Business Eye First Trust Awards for small businesses in Northern Ireland.
Dr David Ribeiro has extensive experience in commercialising products within chronic diseases, having previously held senior management roles at Solvay Healthcare, Encysive Pharmaceuticals and …
Dr Kelly Moffitt has extensive research experience in the role of host proteases involved in both inflammation and infection, particularly within various respiratory diseases …
Darragh McCafferty graduated in 2004 with a Master of Pharmacy degree from Queen’s University Belfast, and completed his pre-registration training in community pharmacy. In …
Timothy graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a Master of Pharmacy degree in 2011. Following successful completion of pre-registration training, he returned to the …
Professor Brian Walker, a co-founder of ProAxsis Ltd., has over 30 years of experience in the design and synthesis of “Protease-Tags” for the identification …
Lorraine Martin is a Professor of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and a co-founder of ProAxsis Ltd. As an expert …
Professor Stephen Smith became Chairman of ProAxsis Limited in 2019. He has held senior leadership roles in the NHS and academia, including with the …
Dr David Ribeiro has extensive experience in commercialising products within chronic diseases, having previously held senior management roles at Solvay Healthcare, Encysive Pharmaceuticals and …
Professor Brian Walker, a co-founder of ProAxsis Ltd., has over 30 years of experience in the design and synthesis of “Protease-Tags” for the identification …
Lorraine Martin is a Professor of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and a co-founder of ProAxsis Ltd. As an expert …
David is Investment Manager with QUBIS Ltd, the early stage investment fund responsible for the commercialisation of technology from The Queen’s University of Belfast. …
Professor Elborn is Clinical Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Centre Director for Adult Cystic Fibrosis at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London. He was formerly …
Professor Chalmers is a Wellcome Trust Postdoctoral Fellow, Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Respiratory Physician at the University of Dundee. He is chair …
Professor Mona Bafadhel is an Associate Professor in Respiratory Medicine and NIHR Post Doctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford and holds an Honorary …
Patrick Flume is a Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. He oversees a rapidly growing CF Center, including …
Dr Sagel is a pediatric pulmonologist who focuses on airway inflammation and lung disease in children with cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia. He …
Penny has worked at the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust since 1996 and is currently the Director of Rehabilitation and Therapies. Her …
Marcus Mall is professor of Paediatrics and director of the Department of Translational Pulmonology at the Heidelberg University Medical School, and head of the …
ProAxsis is a core subsidiary of NetScientific plc.
NetScientific identifies, develops and commercializes transformative biomedical and healthcare technologies originating from leading universities, teaching hospitals and research institutes, with a focus on United Kingdom and United States.
More information about NetScientific’s purpose, core strategy and investment model can be viewed on the
QUBIS, established in 1984, was one of the first University investment companies in the UK and Ireland and had a goal of commercialising the research and development activities of Queen’s University through the formation of spin-out businesses. Working with academic entrepreneurs, QUBIS Ltd has continued to grow a portfolio of shareholdings in viable companies that have succeeded on an international level. Queen’s remains one of the top universities in the UK for the level of revenue generated by spin-out companies, and has created over 60 companies to date.
ProAxsis Ltd
Unit 1B, Concourse Building 3,
Catalyst Inc,
Queen’s Road, Titanic Quarter,
Belfast,
BT3 9DT,
Northern Ireland
tel +44 (0)28 9073 0444
email info@proaxsis.com
