Aquapharm CEO wins Ernst & Young Scotland entrepreneur of the year award 2008
Dr. Andrew Mearns Spragg, founder and CEO of Aquapharm Biodiscovery, a Scotland based marine biotechnology company, has been announced as the winner of this year's Ernst & Young Scottish Entrepreneur of the year in healthcare. The awards recognize Dr. Mearns Spragg's entrepreneurial ambition in setting up Aquapharm as well as his pioneering and innovative work in developing new antibiotic compounds derived from the marine microbial environment.
Dr Mearns Spragg will now be put forward to represent Scotland in the national finals of the Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 programme. The national award recipients will be announced at a gala black tie awards ceremony on Monday 6th October in London.
Dr. Mearns Spragg founded Aquapharm in 2000, when he was only 28, using grant money as he completed his PhD and post doctoral research. To date, he has raised more than £6 million in private equity and grant financing.
Commenting on his award, Dr. Mearns Spragg said: "I am delighted to have received this award which is a reflection not only on my own passion and belief in the Company but also the commitment and experience of the growing team. It has been an exciting year for us with the expansion of our management and scientific advisory boards and the ongoing development of our novel anti-infective compounds which are derived from marine micro-organisms."
Aquapharm have a number of compounds in pre-clinical development with a focus on the development of anti-infectives for use against infections such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA. The company currently employs 17 staff from their base at European Centre for Marine Biotechnology, in Oban on the west coast of Scotland.
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