By Eric King-
A graduate who co-founded a company while studying at university is celebrating becoming a multi-millionaire after selling it for £623m.
Dr Harry Destecroix, 31, co-founded Ziylo while studying for his PhD at the University of Bristol four years ago. His success is inspiring and will be used as a source of encouragement for Bristol students now and the future. The company created a new technology which can be developed to treat diabetes more effectively.
Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk’s purchase has now been granted full rights to develop glucose responsive insulins. Dr Destecroix is now hopeful the sale will offer ground-breaking treatment for diabetics.
Danish firm Novo Nordisk, one of the biggest manufacturers of diabetes medicines aims to use this molecule to develop a new type of insulin to help diabetics manage their condition more safely. Experts believe the glucose binding molecules discovered by the Ziylo team have the potential to lead to the development of insulins, which can potentially remove the risk of hypoglycaemia, when blood sugar levels fall below normal.
In some cases this can be fatal, or cause other serious conditions like seizures or a coma.”Novo Nordisk, as the leader in the diabetes field, is the ideal company to maximise the potential of the Ziylo glucose binding molecules in glucose responsive insulins and diabetes applications, and it brings hope of a truly ground-breaking treatment to diabetes patients,” added Dr Destecroix.