(NU/1433-22) ESP (Extracellular Synucleinopathic Protein) Diagnostics Ltd: Commercialisation of university research through provision of management skills to assist in successful spin-out company creation

Every year in the UK, around 20,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease are diagnosed along with over 20,000 new cases of Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), the second commonest form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is the biggest healthcare challenge globally, this being recognised in the UK through the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 and the NHS England Five Year Forward View, where improving diagnosis, treatment and care is a core focus. These neurodegenerative disorders carry a huge economic burden, in the US alone the annual costs exceed $850 billion, with this estimated to double in the next three decades. DLB is the costliest type of dementia, with patients needing more emergency care, hospitalisation, treatment, and with a greater caregiver burden.

We are looking for an executive and the initial brief of the executive will be to:

(1) Produce a viable 5 year business plan;

(2) Obtain university approval for the venture;

(3) a. Act for the company in the spin-out legal process and address all company formation matters;

b. Obtain founder academics’ and Newcastle University (including the Head of Company Creation) approval for appointment as CEO.

c. Provide to the appropriate university all matters necessary for ERDF or Research England reporting requirements;

(4) Secure (venture capital and other) funding

Stage (4) will produce the funds by which the new start-up company can consider employing the executive going forward. It is expected, and the intent of the scheme, that the Executive will remain with the business following the end of the contract period. However, such appointment will be at the discretion of the board and appropriate university and will be subject to confirmation, typically at Stage 3 above.