QUERCUS
MANAGEMENT
SERVICES PROVIDED
INCLUDE:
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An expert assessment of a young (or expanding) company's position is essential in reaching an informed decision about its prospects and funding requirements - in particular, it is vital that the risks the company faces are clearly identified and that a suitable strategy is formulated for minimising and managing these risks. Quercus can provide an analysis of technology, intellectual property, competition, management and commercialisation strategy, as required. This exercise may involve a critique of information supplied, or detailed due diligence. The focus is often on identifying gaps in the company's resources and analysing how these may be filled. |
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Documents of the highest quality are important to companies and to their
advisers, from launch to flotation and beyond. Firstly, they provide the
essential information for taking internal decisions; secondly, they assist
the process of external assessment - for example, in deciding to invest in a
company; and finally, certain documents must be prepared in a prescribed
format to |
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The European biotech sector has excellent science but lacks experienced management. Quercus has extensive management experience - over 60 years between the core members alone. Other companies in the network bring in even more, providing access to expertise in human resources, accountancy, legal services, publishing and other specialist areas. Whether the need is for consultancy, interim management, executive (or non-exec) search or corporate rescue, it may not be necessary to hire the staff in-house, at least in the short-term - Quercus can provide the resources. It may seem odd to cover the subjects of fundraising and management under one heading, but one often depends on the other. Fundraising is difficult without experienced management, and recruiting management is difficult without having funding in place. Quercus has links with several organisations and individuals with an extensive track record of funding successful biotech companies. The Quercus network can also assist in recruitment at all levels, including Board appointments (both executive and non-exec). Interim managers, either part-time or full-time, can be provided when necessary. |
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Early-stage biotech companies need an objective, well-informed
review of their technology and intellectual property. Quercus
has experience in a wide range of biopharmaceutical technologies, and in the
protection of intellectual property; consequently, we can undertake formal
reviews for companies or their advisers, and provide advice and executive |
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Many academic scientists have little experience of (or appetite for) writing Business Plans and so can find the experience daunting. This is particularly true of biotech companies, where the technology is specialised (and therefore difficult to communicate to investors) and the time to commercialisation is unusually long. Quercus has the technological expertise and the corporate experience to assist founding scientists in maximising the commercial value of their technology and presenting it in the most effective way. |
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The challenge of progressing from technology optimisation to the identification and development of lead compounds is formidable. Most biotech companies do not aspire to market their own drugs, preferring to seek corporate alliances for this, but many aim to optimise the value of their technology by taking selected drug candidates through pre-clinical development, or even into early clinical trials. Few companies have experience in this area, and many have stumbled at this hurdle; Quercus, with its network, has wide-ranging expertise in the pre-clinical and clinical development of both biological and chemical drugs - and this expertise can be deployed either on an advisory or a part-time executive basis, as required. Partnerships with pharmaceutical companies are an important part of corporate strategy for most emerging biotech companies. Consequently, assessing the suitability of potential partners, making the appropriate contacts and conducting negotiations with them, are all areas where previous experience is invaluable - as is deciding at what stage to partner a drug. Quercus can provide advice in all these areas or, if preferred, will work alongside key staff to produce development plans, identify partners and engage in negotiations. |
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Quercus has established relationships with a network of companies to provide services that emerging biotech companies need before they set up facilities themselves. These include: |
- Company Incubation & Mentoring
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Copywriting and Advertising
- Executive
Search & Management Assessment
- Financial
including Accounting/Audit/Tax
- Human
Resources
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Information Technology
- Insurance
(including building liability)
- Legal
- Management Training
- Market
Research
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Manufacture
- Premises
(location and fit-out)
- Quality
Assurance
See Network for some of
the companies that provide these services.
SELECTION
OF CLIENTS
AdProTech plc
Arakis Ltd
Axis Genetics Ltd
Avidex Pharma Ltd
BioIndustry Association
BioVex Ltd
Corus Pharma
Inc
EuropaBio
European Vascular
Genetics Network
Finsbury Emerging Biotech Investment Trust plc
Henry Stewart Publications
Hydra Biosciences Inc
Inflazyme Pharmaceuticals
Isis Innovation Ltd
Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research
Manches
Manchester Innovation Ltd
Medical Research Council
Nomura Phase IV Ventures
Nurin Ltd
Oxagen Ltd
Oxford BioMedica plc
Oxfordshire BiotechNet Ltd
Oxford GlycoSciences plc
Oxxon Pharmaccines
PathoGenesis Corp
PowderJect Pharmaceuticals plc
Prolysis Ltd
Renovo Ltd
Rothschild Asset Management
Simmons & Simmons
Weinberg Group
