Oxagen Becomes First UK Genomics Co

Oxagen, the UK's first genomics company, has been established atAbingdon, near Oxford, England, by a group of former executives from British Biotech.

James Noble, former finance director at BB, will be responsible for negotiating partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies, which will be the main source of funding for the group. Oxagen,which has already raised L4.2 million ($6.7 million), principally from the Wellcome Trust and Oxford University. Mr Noble is joined by former colleagues Mark Edwards, who will be chief scientific officer, and John Gordon, who takes up the position of non-executive director.

Oxagen's chief executive, Trevor Nicholls, who has joined the company from Amersham International, said that it plans to act as a bridge to industry in the commercialization "of the outstanding genetic and clinical expertise which exists here in Oxford."