Recent examples of our work include the following:
PhoreMost
PhoreMost is applying its next-generation phenotypic screening platform, SITESEEKER®, to identify novel disease targets for drug development and, crucially, how to drug them. The Company is advancing internal drug discovery programmes with high growth potential, and has also generated an early revenue stream from collaborations with select partners in biotech and pharma in a number of disease areas, including cancer, immuno-oncology, ageing and targeted protein degradation.
PhoreMost was founded in 2015 from a Cambridge University spin out by a core team of leading scientists, including CEO Dr Chris Torrance, with early proof-of-concept data from a drug discovery platform developed by the lab of Professor Ashok Venkitaraman.
“We have worked with Zyme throughout PhoreMost’s development. We have always been impressed by their sector knowledge, attention to detail and responsiveness at times of need. All this combined with their excellent ability to distil complex concepts into clear messages mean that Zyme are integral to our corporate communications strategy.”
Neil Torbett, Chief Business Officer, PhoreMost
Mogrify
Mogrify® has developed a proprietary direct cellular conversion technology that utilizes a systematic big-data approach (Rackham et al., Nature Genetics, 2016) developed over a 10-year period via a multi-national research collaboration. By deploying next-generation sequencing, gene regulatory and epigenetic network data, the platform enables the prediction of the transcription factors (or small molecules) and culture medium conditions required to produce any target cell type from any source cell type.
The platform can be used to enhance existing stem-cell forward reprogramming methods or can bypass development pathways all together effecting a direct transdifferentiation between a mature cell type to another mature cell type.
“Zyme has proved fundamental in establishing our brand and a strategic communication strategy targeting investors, collaborators, and customers. Zyme’s domain expertise, network of media contacts, and proactive outreach has helped us to build awareness, identify quality feature and advertising opportunities, and maximize media coverage in local and life science trade press. Committed and flexible to requirement their team are a pleasure to work with and will continue to be an asset moving forward.”
Marketing Director, Mogrify Ltd.
Avacta Life Sciences
Avacta Life Sciences (Avacta) is harnessing the advantages of its proprietary Affimer® platform to develop safe and efficacious cancer immunotherapies and powerful research and diagnostic tools. In its therapeutic programme, the Company is combining Affimer technology with its pre|CISION™ targeted chemotherapy platform, to improve the overall safety and therapeutic potential of anti-cancer treatments. The Company aims to take its first drug into the clinic in 2020.
Avacta’s Affimer reagents are also ideal tools for use in a wide variety of diagnostic applications, offering numerous advantages as novel engineered alternatives to antibodies. Avacta is working with diagnostic partners worldwide to develop Affimer proteins for evaluation, and also developing a small in-house pipeline of Affimer-based diagnostic assays for licensing.
“Zyme’s expertise in life sciences PR has helped to significantly grow our awareness within the industry. We have worked with Zyme for a number of years and find the team to be very effective as well as flexible and responsive.”
Marketing and Communications Manager, Avacta Group plc
Start Codon
Founded in 2018, Start Codon is a life science and healthcare business accelerator, and the first in Cambridge, UK to provide companies with a combination of seed funding, facilities, mentoring and access to a dedicated team and network of industry leading contacts. Founding investors include Cambridge Innovation Capital, the Babraham Research Campus through Babraham Bioscience Technologies, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Dr Jonathan Milner and Dr Ian Tomlinson.
Start Codon aims to revolutionise the way life science and healthcare innovation is commercialised by reducing risk in investment opportunities and developing companies that are built to succeed globally.
““The support and guidance we have received from Zyme since the inception of Start Codon has been invaluable. As our PR and marketing partner, they have secured numerous opportunities for us to engage with our target audiences in the UK and Europe, as well as proving strategic advice to our start-ups, many of whom have no experience of PR and communications. Lorna and the team are a real pleasure to work with and consistently provide top level, rapid responses to communications queries we have”
Jason Mellad, CEO, Start Codon
Owlstone Medical
Owlstone Medical (Owlstone) has developed a breathalyser for disease that has the potential to revolutionise early detection and precision medicine, with applications in cancer and a wide range of other conditions. Breath Biopsy enables disease to be detected earlier, when treatments are more effective and more lives can be saved. By identifying patients most likely to respond to a particular therapy, Breath Biopsy can also ensure that the right therapy is given to the right patient at the right time, helping to reduce healthcare costs.
“Zyme has provided us with strategic guidance and a very proactive approach in developing our PR and communications programme. Zyme’s industry knowledge and network of media contacts has created opportunities for us to build our profile and establish breath as a new diagnostic modality. We have been very impressed by the breadth and quality of media coverage achieved on a regular basis, in key trade publications and global business press.”
Billy Boyle, Founder and CEO, Owlstone Medical
Gyros Protein Technologies
Gyros Protein Technologies (now part of Mesa Laboratories, Inc.), headquartered in Sweden, is a leading provider of solutions for peptide synthesis and bioanalysis. The Company is focused on helping scientists in both academia and industry to increase biomolecule performance and productivity in research, drug discovery, pre-clinical and clinical development, and bioprocess applications.
Formed by the merger of Gyros AB (founded in 2000) and Protein Technologies, Inc. (founded in 1985), Gyros Protein Technologies combines Gyrolab® nanolitre-scale immunoassay expertise with the peptide synthesis instrument manufacturing knowhow and scientific knowledge from Protein Technologies Inc. Gyros Protein Technologies has developed a range of low to mid-scale peptide synthesiser platforms, including the award winning PurePep™ Chorus in addition to proprietary high-performance nanolitre-scale immunoassay platforms, the most recent of which is Gyrolab xPand.
“The team at Zyme Communications has been helpful and easy to work with irrespective of the type of communications needed. They provide timely feedback and look for ways to improve communications from Gyros Protein Technologies to the market.”
Dan Calvo, President, Gyros Protein Technologies.
Cobra Biologics
Cobra Biologics (Cobra) is an international contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) providing biologics and pharmaceuticals for pre-clinical, clinical and commercial supply to an international customer base. In 2019, Cobra became part of the Cognate BioServices family.
Headquartered in the UK, Cobra has two GMP approved facilities in Sweden and the UK, each with specific expertise tailored to serving its customers around the world. The Company offers a broad range of integrated and stand-alone contract development and manufacturing services for gene, immune-oncology and live bacterial therapies.
“For the last 5 years that we have engaged Zyme they have provided fast and efficient support to Cobra’s growing needs where good communication in the rapidly growing biologics area is critical to our growth strategy”
Philip Ridley-Smith, Sales & Marketing Director, Cobra Biologics
Cambridge Epigenetix
Cambridge Epigenetix is a pioneer in the development and application of epigenetic technologies. The Company’s mission is to change the way medicine is practiced by reducing several routine and important diagnostic screening tests to a simple blood draw using the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) epigenetic modification as a powerful biomarker for illnesses. Following research at the University of Cambridge, the Company was founded in 2012 by Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, FRS FMedSci, Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Senior Group Leader at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge (co-inventor of Solexa sequencing) and Dr Bobby Yerramilli-Rao, to commercialise its founding technology, oxidative bisulfite sequencing (oxBS-Seq), which enables users to quantify, and discriminate between, functionally-distinct DNA modifications.
“It’s been a pleasure working with Zyme Communications. They have secured targeted coverage for our stories, presented opportunities for media interviews, and offered innovative profile raising ideas for Cambridge Epigenetix. They are also an exceptionally friendly, scientifically knowledgeable and professional team to work with.”
Head of Communications & Administration, Cambridge Epigenetix Ltd
Evonetix
Zyme has been working with Evonetix to support the Company with the development of a strategic PR and marketing plan. One element of this was a social media project to improve Evonetix’s profile and to build awareness of the Company.
As part of this project, the following steps were taken:
- Increase the number of ‘followers’ and ‘following’ to extend reach to potential customers, and increase commercial interest
- Increase engagement with social media posts through ‘likes’ and ‘shares’
- Increase the number of social media posts on Evonetix’s LinkedIn and Twitter profiles and educate key audiences on the Company and its technology
- Provide additional resource to monitor and maintain social media platforms
“We have been extremely impressed with the results achieved by Zyme in less than a year since first starting to work with them. We have developed a very effective working relationship that has led to significant progress being made across many fronts.”
Chief Executive Officer, Evonetix Ltd.
Horizon Discovery
Strategic PR and marketing programme to raise awareness of the Company and its products and services, and to strengthen Horizon’s brand as the world’s leading gene editing and translational genomics company.
The program has needed to have the flexibility to adapt to changing needs as the Company has grown and developed, including in the run-up to and following listing on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, and around M&A activity
“Zyme’s proactive approach and professiona