Two Cambridge Enterprise portfolio companies were winners at the iawards held at the National Science Museum in London.

Horizon Discovery walked off with the overall ‘iaward of the year’ prize for its X-MAN ‘Model Cancer Patient’, which finds what treatments individual cancer patients are most likely to respond to.

It took the top prize after being named the Number One Technology Start-up in the UK earlier the same evening.

And another Cambridge Enterprise portfolio company, E-Stack, won the iaward in the places to live and work category. The firm, which is based in Cambridge, provides low-energy ventilation systems which respond to variations in temperature and CO2 levels.

Competing against 13 overall category winners, Horizon Discovery was presented with the iaward of the year by Lord Drayson, Science and Innovation Minister.

Geraldine Rogers, head of seed funds at Cambridge Enterprise, said: “Both e-Stack and Horizon Discovery have the potential to make a significant difference in their respective scientific fields. The iawards’ recognition of two companies working in vastly different fields is a testimony to the contribution Cambridge is making in helping bring about societal impact on a global basis.”

The iawards recognise and celebrate the best British achievements in science, technology and innovation; and are the first awards of their kind to be backed by the British Government.

Dr Darrin Disley, Chairman of Horizon, said: “We are very excited to win this award after what has been a stellar 18 months for the company. Personalised medicine is a fast-evolving science that has the potential to provide more effective cancer therapies based on having a detailed understanding of each patient’s genetic make-up then tailoring the right targeted drug, or ideally, combination of targeted drugs, for lasting responses.”

Mike Butcher, one of the iaward Chair Judges, said: “Horizon Discovery really impressed us with their ‘patient in a test tube’ which is the first human cell model that can identify personalised cancer medications, leading to shorter drug trials and increased patient life. Quite simply, this is world-class scientists doing first-class work.”

Meanwhile, E-Stack also came in for praise from fellow judge, Peter Drummond. He said: “E-Stack is a well-deserved winner of the iaward for ‘places to live and work’ category. It answers a significant market problem in a simple and interesting way and this is why it was selected.”
 

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