Biobest Unveiled as New Edinburgh Technopole Tenant

21 February 06

Biobest, one of the UK's leading authorities in veterinary virology and DNA diagnostics, is to relocate to Edinburgh Technopole, the world-class science park jointly developed by the University of Edinburgh and Grosvenor.

Courtesy of STN

The company, currently pioneering the commercial application of stem cell growth from equine bone marrow, is moving from its present location at the neighbouring Pentlands Science Park. Biobest, which employs 28 people, will occupy a 4,800 sq ft wing of Technopole's Charles Darwin House, almost doubling the company's current capacity. The move will kick-start a major expansion for Biobest, with the potential to create some 10 new jobs at Technopole.

News of the deal was revealed at a major event heralding the next £10 million phase of Technopole's expansion. This includes the opening of the £8 million Fleming Building, a speculative development offering 36,000 square feet of mixed office and laboratory space. This trebles the amount of available capacity at Technopole and could provide space for more than 300 high quality research jobs.

The £2 million restoration of Bush House is also complete. The 250-year-old part-Adam designed centrepiece to Edinburgh Technopole now offers 15,000 sq ft of high quality office space, meeting rooms and conference facilities. Technology company Coeval, who specialise in designing electronic signage, has been unveiled as a new tenant for Bush House.

John Irvine, Director of Grosvenor in Scotland says: "These are exciting times for Edinburgh Technopole. Biobest will join leading-edge companies Indigo Vision and Xilinx at Charles Darwin House - completed less than three years ago as a speculative build. The fact that this building is now more than two-thirds full, and occupied by companies that have global influence, justifies our confidence in Scotland as a leading centre of excellence for the science and technology sector.

It also means that we can invest in major developments like the Fleming Building and Bush House, confident in the fact that Technopole will continue to attract high-quality tenants.

Grosvenor and the University of Edinburgh are committed to advancing the nation?s science and technology sectors, especially in specialist areas such as the bio-sciences which research shows have had their growth constrained due to a lack of purpose-built speculative facilities in Scotland."

David Snodgrass, Managing Director of Biobest, says the company will benefit from Technopole's location at the heart of the Edinburgh Science Triangle. "As the company expands at Technopole, we need to continue to maintain close links with the Pentlands Science Park, and the fact that it is literally next door to the park is a major bonus for us.

"Collaboration with like-minded organisations is the way forward for our industry, and Edinburgh Technopole, together with its links to the University's world-renowned research base, is ideally suited to meet this need."

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