Bristol pharmaceuticals startup bought for £623 million

Ziylo has been bought in a £623 million deal by Novo Nordisk, the biggest maker of diabetes drugs in the world.

Effective and safe management of diabetes

The company – which was spun out of the University of Bristol 4 years ago – has pioneered a synthetic molecule that binds glucose in the bloodstream more effectively in the treatment of diabetes. It comes out of 20 years of research at the university.

This module could eliminate the risk of hypoglycaemia, where blood sugar falls below normal levels. Hypoglycaemia is the main risk to those using insulin therapy and can be dangerous if not treated properly, leading to seizures or coma.

With the acquisition, Novo Nordisk hopes to use the module to develop a new kind of insulin so that people with diabetes can manage their condition more safely.

It could take 10 years before the new treatment comes to market, with the £623 million deal staged based on the potential success of the treatment.