ProAxsis (www.proaxsis.com), the Belfast-based protease diagnostics company, is delighted to announce that it has been recognised as a Gold Level Innovator in the Innovate NI Innovation Accreditation programme. The company has been recognised due to it continually demonstrating its ability to transform innovate ideas into commercially successful products.

Speaking about the recognition, Dr David Ribeiro, CEO of ProAxsis, commented:

“Recognition of this kind from Innovate NI is a great testament to both the cutting-edge research being conducted by the ProAxsis team of scientists at our purpose-built laboratory in Belfast, and our ability to transition these exciting concepts in to commercially viable assets. ProAxsis has conducted a number of R&D projects supported by Invest Northern Ireland, which have successfully led to the launch of highly novel protease biomarker assays, and we remain extremely grateful for their ongoing support in propelling the company towards being a globally-renowned protease diagnostics company.”

Innovate NI is a Department for the Economy programme, helping local businesses innovate successfully. It is delivered by Invest Northern Ireland, local councils and further education colleges.

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI’s Director of Innovation, Research & Development, added: “Over the last 5 years, we have worked in partnership with ProAxsis and our innovation support, including R&D, has helped it to develop and bring to market new diagnostic products which are now sold globally. As this company has proven, innovation is the key to business resilience and growth and being recognised as a Gold level innovator is testament to the success of its innovation journey so far. With this commitment to innovation, I am confident ProAxsis will continue to develop ground-breaking diagnostics, ultimately benefiting patients around the World.”

Any enquiries concerning ProAxsis’ work on protease biomarkers can be directed to info@proaxsis.com.

About ProAxsis

ProAxsis Limited is a commercial-stage diagnostics company, based in Northern Ireland, and with a rapidly growing global client list of pharmaceutical companies and academic laboratories. 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 into 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. Grant-funded R&D projects for a variety of targets remain a key area of focus.

Aside from the provision of assays, ProAxsis can 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.

About Innovate NI

Innovate NI is a Department for the Economy programme, helping local businesses innovate successfully. It is delivered by Invest Northern Ireland, local councils and further education colleges.