Pictured above: (l-r) Dr Neil Farrow (Founder and Head of Research, nanoTherics), Ray Harris (Catapult Venture Managers), Dr Linda E Cammish (CEO, nanoTherics), Dr Mark Payton (Mercia Technology Seed Fund) and Professor Jon Dobson (Founder and Director, nanoTherics)

Research into cures for genetic disorders and diseases such as Parkinson's and cancer has received a boost thanks to a Coventry-based investment group.

nanoTherics, based in Stoke-on-Trent, has just received £155,000 of investment from Minerva, the University of Warwick Science Park's business angel network investor group.

The Keele University spin out is at the cutting edge of commercialising devices for improved gene transfection - the technology allowing DNA and other materials to be placed inside cells which is vital for research into genetic diseases and disorders.

As well as the investment from Minerva, which is based at the University of Warwick Science Park's Venture Centre in Sir William Lyons Road, nanoTherics has recently successfully secured around £600k funding from key investors Catapult Venture Managers and over £200k from the Mercia Technology Seed Fund. 

Tim Powell, who heads up Minerva, said: "The management team at nanoTherics is very impressive and they convinced us this investment would accelerate their growth into a global market worth billions of pounds.

"This is a large and growing area of research looking at gene replacement therapies and where stem cell research is prominent.

"Not only has Minerva been able to help provide the funds they needed but one of our members, with expertise in the sector, has also joined the board as a non-executive director.

"With the additional support of Catapult and Mercia behind them we are confident they will succeed."

The £1 million of investment will be used to help the life sciences company continue its development and commercialisation of innovative technologies and products designed to offer faster, more efficient ways to improve research into genetic disease disorders.

nanoTherics sells a range of products based on nanomagnetic technology developed at Keele University and the University of Florida which enable transfection to be carried out faster, more efficiently, with better cell viability and more productively than with existing technology.

Dr. Linda Cammish, chief executive of nanoTherics, said: "We are delighted that The Minerva Business Angel Network is backing us with their investment at a key point in the company growth strategy enabling us to place additional resources into the commercialisation of our products.

"Gene therapy has the potential to dramatically change the treatment of human disease.

"A number of gene therapies already exist, particularly those used to treat leukaemia, but none without some disadvantages.

"In the future, such therapies derived from research which can benefit from use of nanoTherics products could be used to treat a wide variety of genetic based diseases and disorders including cancer, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, and muscle damage, amongst a number of other impairments and conditions."