IN one corner, you've got a hand-held device used to detect drugs and diseases. In another, you've got an organisation which encourages people to cut down smoking and boost exercise.
Each are award-winning projects growing in the North East, and they’re not alone. All in all, eight awards were doled out at the fifth Cels Business for Life Awards at St James’ Park last night, which honoured the brightest healthcare and life science companies in the region.
Hartlepool’s Hart Biologicals won the Export award on the night, while Newcastle’s QuantuMDx gathered an Innovation award as well as a Technology award. E-Quality Learning grabbed the Start-up award, while SCM Pharma followed up last year’s Export award win with another trophy for Outstanding Growth.
Healthworks scooped both the Partnership with the NHS award and the new Primary Care award. Professor Sir John Burn was given the HealthConnect award, which recognises the outstanding work of an individual in the sector.
Cels works as a business support organisation to companies within the sector, providing them with information and access to experts. Managing director Dr Mike Nicholds said: “The North East's health technology and life science sector continues to grow and it is rewarding to see new entrants picking up Business for Life Awards.
“Although there is a great deal of change going on in the global sector and in the region, it is great to see and be able to celebrate these regional success stories.
“Some of these companies are very small, but by being innovative and not giving up they are developing new technologies, reaching new markets and working to improve healthcare for individuals across the UK.”
Hart Biologicals was recognised for its efforts abroad, expanding into Greece last year and finding markets for its product in Australia, Sudan and Poland while growing further in the US. The company makes a biological reagent which looks at blood-clotting problems in GP surgeries, pathology laboratories and surgical theatres. The Export award was sponsored by UK Trade and Investment.
