MarraBio specialises in industrial cell engineering for research and treatment. The business started as a spinout from Professor Jeremy Lakey’s laboratory at Newcastle University in 2023, with the goal of commercialising the Caf1 technology that had been pioneered there.
Marrabio design, engineer and construct bacterial protein polymers, that contain the biological messages that cells need to grow, divide and behave properly. Cells grown on an industrial scale for research, agricultural or therapeutic use need to be supplied with the right signals. Marrabio provide a multi-functional, cost-effective solution in a single, easy to use material. MarraBio’s proprietary engineered Caf1 proteins provide an easy to use, ultra stable, scalable and xeno-free alternative to the extracellular matrix proteins and growth factors used in mammalian cell culture.
Earlier this year, MarraBio took part in the Innovation Observatory’s Industry Sprint which saw a group of national Health and Life Science businesses undertake various sessions with our team over the course of a week. We guided them through how to use our data and resources to aid a detailed market assessment, competitive market & gap analysis and by bringing in funding experts from the wider ecosystem they were able to utilise this evidence in their grant applications and investor pitches.
MarraBio completed a competitive market analysis, a report and a finalised study achieved by horizon scanning. The reports contained in-depth competitor information, signposting Marrabio to potential grants, schemes and funders including charity funding across the globe.
“It was good to find out what the Innovation Observatory is, what it does and how we can interact with it. The templates and information provided by the IO will be useful for us going forward to help with market analysis and assessment, as well as signposting future funding opportunities.”
Daniel Peters, CEO, CO-CSO at Marrabio
If you are a health and life sciences business, then find out more about you can utilise NIHR Innovation Observatory’s data and insights as well as conducting your own horizon scans!
Take a look at our industry page here
