Celltech: The birth of the European biotechnology industry

This month, Fintan Walton talks to Gerard Fairtlough, founder & former CEO of Celltech, about the story behind the company and the drivers that enabled Celltech to establish itself as the Europe’s first biotechnology company.

Gerard explains that balancing the pressures of profitability and innovation were key factors of Celltech’s success. At that time investors weren’t accustomed to biotechnology companies going through several rounds of financing; therefore, the company used manufacturing as a means of financing its projects. Alongside the issue of profitability, the company was frequently asked to work on new ventures. However, it had to be careful about what was taken on in order to maintain focus. Collaborations played a significant part of the firm’s growth, providing money, enhancing skills and building a reputation.

About Gerard Fairtlough

Gerard Fairtlough founded Celltech in 1980, and was its CEO until 1990. Before that Gerard worked in the Royal Dutch/Shell group for 25 years, the last five as CEO of Shell Chemicals UK. Since Celltech, he has been involved in the start-up of several high-technology businesses in the UK. Gerard has been an advisor to various government and academic institutions, including Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology, a member of the Science and Engineering Council, and Chair of the Advisory Panel, Science Policy Research Unit, Sussex University. Gerard Fairtlough trained as a biochemist, graduating from Cambridge University in 1953.

About Celltech

Founded in 1980, Celltech was the UK’s first biotechnology company. In 1990, after ten years at the helm, Gerard Fairtlough retired and the company was reorganised into two operating groups: Celltech Therapeutics (drug discovery) and Celltech Biologics (manufacturing).

A listing on the London Stock Exchange took place in 1993. In 1999, Celltech merged with Chiroscience and the new group acquired Medeva in 2000, creating Celltech Group plc. A further acquisition took place in 2001 with the company acquiring Cistron Biotechnology before the Celltech Group was itself purchased in July 2004 by UCB.