Former Pfizer Employees Launch Innovative Startups at Discovery Park

In a remarkable display of entrepreneurial spirit, a group of former Pfizer employees have successfully established their own businesses within the thriving life sciences community of Discovery Park in Kent. These new ventures, all contract research organisations, have emerged from Pfizer’s cost realignment programme over the past year, with the pharmaceutical giant’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Small Molecule (PSSM) division providing crucial support through initial contracts to build viability and momentum.

The three startups, Biowaived, Matheus Engineering, and Particology Ltd, are already making waves in the industry, offering a range of cutting-edge services to clients in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical sectors.

Biowaived, led by Chief Science Officer Mark McAllister, provides laboratory, computational modelling services, and consultancy to help clients better understand and predict how the medicines they are developing will perform when administered to patients. McAllister expressed his gratitude for the support received from Discovery Park, stating, “Founding our new business has been a steep learning curve for us all, as there is a lot you take for granted when you are part of a large corporate organisation, but the support we have received from Discovery Park has made all the difference.”

Matheus Engineering, co-founded by Dr Suju Mathew and Dr Jinu Mathew, specialises in chemical process engineering-based scientific services. The company works with businesses to develop and troubleshoot manufacturing processes, often developing bespoke engineering technologies to address process-specific challenges. “Like many start-ups, patience and persistence have become two important words for us while embracing a constantly changing environment,” said Suju Mathew. “Our industry, and specifically our former Pfizer colleagues and Discovery Park team, have been hugely supportive.”

Particology Ltd, led by CEO Lisa Taylor, sets out to be a one-stop-shop providing industry-leading particle technology contract research and consulting services. With expertise developed over decades working in the pharmaceutical industry, the ambitious group of six has already made significant contributions in bringing several medicines to market. Taylor acknowledged the invaluable support received from Discovery Park, stating, “We have learned a tremendous amount in a short period and genuinely credit the support from Discovery Park, academic institutions, and funding organisations in helping us create Particology, which we truly believe will make a positive impact in our industry and beyond.”

The success of these startups has been facilitated by the supportive ecosystem at Discovery Park, which has provided mentorship, access to resources, and a collaborative environment. Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, expressed his pride in the team’s efforts, saying, “When Pfizer first announced it was consolidating its operations, it marked a pivotal moment for us and the local life sciences community. As with any challenges in our industry, we quickly adapted, and I’m immensely proud of how Discovery Park’s team has collaborated with Pfizer colleagues and the Barclays Eagle Lab to support talented individuals to establish these three innovative new businesses.”

Andrew McKillop, Senior Vice President for PSSM at Pfizer, emphasised the importance of nurturing the UK’s life sciences ecosystem, stating, “Maintaining the UK’s place as a world-leading life sciences environment means nurturing the ecosystem of science, enterprise, innovation, and talent in this country. We are delighted to provide support to these start-ups led by talented individuals with clever ideas who now have the opportunity to build their enterprises. We wish them every success and congratulate Discovery Park on the growth of the exciting life sciences community here in Sandwich.”