Molecular Light Technology

1. Molecular Light Technology MLT Research Limited 5 Chiltern Close Cardiff Industrial Park CF14 5DL www.mltresearch.com Stuart Woodhead

2. The Invention

3. Why Sensitivity? 100,000,000,000,000,000,000------- 10,000,000,000,000,000,000------- 1,000,000 000 000,000,000------- 100,000,000,000,000,000------- 10,000,000,000,000,000------- 1,000,000,000,000,000------- 100,000,000,000,000------- 10,000,000,000,000------- 1,000,000,000,000------- 100,000,000,000------- 10,000,000,000------- 1,000,000,000------- 100,000,000------- 10,000,000------- 1,000,000------- 1020 1019 1018 1017 1016 1015 1014 1013 1012 1011 1010 109 108 107 106 Legal limit (UK) Glucose Alcohol Lethal dose amatoxin Tumour antigens Hormones Viruses

4. Milestones • 1977 Project started • 1978 First patent application • 1982 Synthesis of acridinium label • 1984 Measurement of TSH • 1986 First commercial immunoassay • 1989 First commercial probe assay • 1991 Launch of ACS-180 • 1997 Centaur • 2001 Blood Bank tests • 2003 TIGRIS

5. Company History • 1988 MLT incorporated • 1991 First premises - main activity contract R & D • 1992 Started manufacturing • 1996 Acquired funding • 1997 Business strategy developed • TCS programme to monitor specific gene expression • 1998 Licensing of genetic probe technology • The Move • Implementation of new technology • First gene expression test launched • 2003 Acquisition by Gen-Probe

6. Molecular Light Technology Year 1995 1998 2000 2002 No of Staff 7 12 15 25 Turnover 812 2,068 3,113 4,000 (thousands)

7. Purpose of the Business • To become a major supplier of high technology tests for industrial, pharmaceutical and toxicological applications. • To achieve recognition as a centre of excellence for the development of intellectual property, novel technologies and products. • To maintain profitable growth and create long term value for all stakeholders.

8. Growing the Business • Protecting the technology • Finding the right people to work with • Understanding clearly roles and responsibilities • Knowledge transfer • Knowing when to stop

9. Intellectual Property • High value • Patent costs • Patent prosecution • Licensing • Infringement • Litigation

10. Product Development • Scale up from prototype • Documentation • Raw materials • Validation • Quality control

11. The Products • Immunoassays for diabetes research (proinsulin) • Gene-based assays for toxicological investigation (CYP) • Assays for enzymes involved in viral/bacterial replication (ligase, helicase, primase etc)

12. mRNA AE AE-probe AE Protection Hydrolysis Hybridisation Protection Assay (HPA) Target Gene No Light

13. Cell Suspension Treated with Benzopyrene

14. The Future • Human toxicology • Hepatotoxicity • Neurotoxicity • Chemical carcinogenesis • Drug discovery • Food and water microbiology

15. New Intellectual Property • 8 patents filed since 1997 • Genetic Biosensors • Drug discovery • Fuel marking • Chemiluminescent beacons

16. The Lessons • Patent where possible • Develop educated conviction • Be persistent • Have a strategy • Continue to innovate • Learn from mistakes