Originally published 27 March 2003

Its always a pain when people always want to pop round for visit when you are moving home but when it’s a Parliamentary and Scientific Committee it’s hard to say no. That is what is happening to successful University of Warwick spin out company Warwick Effect Polymers who, almost on the eve of moving to a new bigger home, have agreed to accept a delegation today Thursday 27th March from the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee (a group of Lords MPs and scientists who act as long-term liaison between Parliamentarians and scientific bodies) who are keen to hear about the success story of this young company which just 18 months ago was spun out of novel high tech designer polymer research at the University of Warwick.

The company’s rapid success has now won it significant capital from two Venture Capital Trusts and additional business angel investment which is enabling it to move to new purpose built laboratories, at the University of Warwick Science Park on April 2nd 2003. The new 2500sq feet premises are equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories alongside its own polymer analysis facilities for structure and property determination.

The move has also been partly financed by the UK government University Challenge Fund administered in the West Midlands by the Mercia Fund.

Warwick Effect Polymers company chairman Professor Dave Haddleton and his four staff have focused their research on the development of novel “designer polymers” using its globally patented technology in catalyst systems and other related expertise. This allows the company to precisely control the creation of a vast range of complex polymers under a range of production conditions that were not previously viable. The company can design and synthesise multi-component molecules, that are not available through any other chemistry. This technology has significant applications in sectors such as healthcare, pharmaceutical, personal care, food and water additives and microelectronics. This new family of polymers allows for the modification of all forms of surfaces including biological with attachment to proteins, peptides, and the incorporation of fluorescent labelling tags for use in confocal microscopy.

The company has the first granted European Patent in the area of transition metal mediated living radical polymerisation. The technology covers a broad range of diimine ligand types used in conjunction with copper(I) and other low valent late transition metals. The facile synthesis of a wide range of ligands allows for the solubility of the catalyst to be tuned to suit each individual application.

Notes for Editors: The company’s web site is: www.warwickeffectpolymers.co.uk

For further information please contact:
Professor Dave Haddleton
Warwick Effect Polymers Tel: 024 76 523256
Email: enquiries@warwickeffectpolymers.co.uk