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The life sciences
research industry is experiencing unprecedented
global economic challenges and fundamental
structural changes. |
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With increasing pressure
from regulatory bodies, patent expiry, lobbying
groups and the healthcare providers. When
added to a challenging global economic situation,
it has created an environment of lower growth
and increasing demands on R&D productivity.
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In response, our customers
are certainly looking to improve the productivity
and return on investment on their R&D
operations. Moreover they are also looking
for new ways of working and are more open
to innovative solutions that transform the
way they approach R&D challenges. |
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Within this macro environment
we see three industry strategies emerging
that will provide excellent opportunities
for TAP in the medium to long term: |
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- A drive to develop more products
for clearly defined patient populations,
so less reliant on blockbuster products.
- A move into new growth areas such
as vaccines, biopharmaceuticals and
stem cell therapies.
- A search for more external collaborations
between the top pharma / biopharma companies
and academic groups, smaller biotechnology
companies and technology providers.
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As a leading
supplier of systems with a unique mix of
applications and engineering experience
TAP is in a strong position to capitalise
on these strategic trends. |
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Our track record speaks for
itself, we first introduced automated cell
culture systems 20 years ago, followed soon
after by the early large-scale automated
compound management systems and high throughput
screening platforms. More recently we developed
DNA stores, large scale biobanks and parallel
processing of suspension cells in T-Flasks. |
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Since 2007 we have taken
this industry know-how and applied it to
a new generation of innovative cell processing
and cell culturing benchtop products. Our
strategy is to continue developing a portfolio
of mid-sized products targeted at three
significant growth areas: biologics,
regenerative medicine and
advanced screening. |
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For example, 2010 will see
the launch of ambr our
new small scale (10-15ml) disposable bioreactor
that will transform the way biopharma companies
approach their cell line development and
optimisation activities. |
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As well as producing innovative
products, TAP continues to work with pharma
and biotech customers to develop novel custom
automation solutions across a broad range
of applications but particularly within
the regenerative
medicine, bioprocessing
and advanced screening
fields. We will also provide product development
services for European SMEs looking for help
in moving their early stage technologies
to full production and launch. A good example
is our collaboration with
Cellectricon to develop an automated
ion channel screening system. |
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The
next three to five years promises to be
an exciting time for TAP. We rely
on the quality, creativity and energy of
our staff in the UK and USA to innovate
and develop new products and services and
provide a first class service experience
for our existing customers. It is the TAP
team that leads the successful development
of market leading solutions and it is my
aim to maintain a culture in which our people
feel valued, energised and rewarded for
their ideas and contribution to our success.
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David Newble,
Chief Executive Officer |
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