About Us
Nature is the most powerful reference library in the world. At Penrhos Bio, we are passionate about harnessing this power to combat harmful biofilms.
About Us
Nature is the most powerful reference library in the world. At Penrhos Bio, we are passionate about harnessing this power to combat harmful biofilms.
Our Story
Formed as a joint venture between Unilever plc and Innova Partnerships Ltd in 2019, Penrhos Bio is commercialising novel marine bioderived lactam technology developed by Unilever over the past 10 years.
Our mission is to develop truly innovative and sustainable products which are active in solving bacterial and microbial biofilm challenges across consumer, healthcare and industry environments.
Our vision is a world free of harmful biofilms.
Our Story
Formed as a joint venture between Unilever plc and Innova Partnerships Ltd in 2019, Penrhos Bio is commercialising novel marine bioderived lactam technology developed by Unilever over the past 10 years.
Our mission is to develop truly innovative and sustainable products which are active in solving bacterial and microbial biofilm challenges across consumer, healthcare and industry environments.
Our vision is a world free of harmful biofilms.
Our Story
Formed as a joint venture between Unilever plc and Innova Partnerships Ltd in 2019, Penrhos Bio is commercialising novel marine bioderived lactam technology developed by Unilever over the past 10 years.
Our mission is to develop truly innovative and sustainable products which are active in solving bacterial and microbial biofilm challenges across consumer, healthcare and industry environments.
Our vision is a world free of harmful biofilms.
Our Team
Management & Board
Dr Jonathan
Hague
Chairman
Jon is Vice President for Science and Technology Development in Unilever’s Global Homecare Business, a position he has held since January 2018. Prior to that Jon built and led Unilever’s Open Innovation capability, building partnerships with many of the world’s leading academic institutions and corporations. Jon has a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Sheffield, and has almost 30 years of experience in Industrial R&D. Outside of Unilever duties, in addition to the role with Penrhos Bio, Jon is Chair of the Innovation Board for the Liverpool City Region, and is also Chair of the Innovation Committee of the UK Chemistry Council.
Dr Neil
Parry
Technical Director
Neil is a biologist with a PhD in Industrial Biotechnology, specialising in protein engineering. Neil has worked within Unilever for 23 years and has held a number of roles across the organisation including within then Unilever antibody company subsidiary, Unipath. Neil has held the role of Research Programme Director – Biotechnology & Biosourcing since 2012, leading the team developing new biotechnologies and green chemistries for Unilever’s product portfolio. Neil is a member of a number of advisory boards and is a non-exec Director on the National Biofilms Innovation Centre where he Chairs the Industry Advisory Board.
Prof Steve
Howell
Commercial Director
Steve is a serial entrepreneur within the health care sector having set up over a dozen companies, raised over £100m of investment and been involved in M&A activities for both SMEs and large corporates. In 2006, he founded the Life Science investment and partnering business Innova Partnerships Ltd after a successful career in the diagnostics industry. He is currently visiting Professor of Commercial Innovation at Kings College London.
Dr Andrew
McNair
Operations Director
Andy has more than 25 years of experience working in the life sciences sector. A chemist, Andy has a PhD in hydrogel polymers and drug delivery. He has held senior management and directorial roles in a number of start-up and early-stage companies as well as spending time as a commercialisation director in the university sector. In addition to the role with Penrhos Bio, Andy is Innova Partnerships Managing Director.
Dr Jonathan
Hague
Chairman
Jon is Vice President for Science and Technology Development in Unilever’s Global Homecare Business, a position he has held since January 2018. Prior to that Jon built and led Unilever’s Open Innovation capability, building partnerships with many of the world’s leading academic institutions and corporations. Jon has a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Sheffield, and has almost 30 years of experience in Industrial R&D. Outside of Unilever duties, in addition to the role with Penrhos Bio, Jon is Chair of the Innovation Board for the Liverpool City Region, and is also Chair of the Innovation Committee of the UK Chemistry Council.
Dr Neil
Parry
Technical Director
Neil is a biologist with a PhD in Industrial Biotechnology, specialising in protein engineering. Neil has worked within Unilever for 23 years and has held a number of roles across the organisation including within then Unilever antibody company subsidiary, Unipath. Neil has held the role of Research Programme Director – Biotechnology & Biosourcing since 2012, leading the team developing new biotechnologies and green chemistries for Unilever’s product portfolio. Neil is a member of a number of advisory boards and is a non-exec Director on the National Biofilms Innovation Centre where he Chairs the Industry Advisory Board.
Prof Steve
Howell
Commercial Director
Steve is a serial entrepreneur within the health care sector having set up over a dozen companies, raised over £100m of investment and been involved in M&A activities for both SMEs and large corporates. In 2006, he founded the Life Science investment and partnering business Innova Partnerships Ltd after a successful career in the diagnostics industry. He is currently visiting Professor of Commercial Innovation at Kings College London.
Dr Andrew
McNair
Operations Director
Andy has more than 25 years of experience working in the life sciences sector. A chemist, Andy has a PhD in hydrogel polymers and drug delivery. He has held senior management and directorial roles in a number of start-up and early-stage companies as well as spending time as a commercialisation director in the university sector. In addition to the role with Penrhos Bio, Andy is Innova Partnerships Managing Director.
Our Team
Management & Board
Dr Jonathan
Hague
Chairman
Jon is Vice President for Science and Technology Development in Unilever’s Global Homecare Business, a position he has held since January 2018. Prior to that Jon built and led Unilever’s Open Innovation capability, building partnerships with many of the world’s leading academic institutions and corporations. Jon has a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Sheffield, and has almost 30 years of experience in Industrial R&D. Outside of Unilever duties, in addition to the role with Penrhos Bio, Jon is Chair of the Innovation Board for the Liverpool City Region, and is also Chair of the Innovation Committee of the UK Chemistry Council.
Dr Neil
Parry
Technical Director
Neil is a biologist with a PhD in Industrial Biotechnology, specialising in protein engineering. Neil has worked within Unilever for 23 years and has held a number of roles across the organisation including within then Unilever antibody company subsidiary, Unipath. Neil has held the role of Research Programme Director – Biotechnology & Biosourcing since 2012, leading the team developing new biotechnologies and green chemistries for Unilever’s product portfolio. Neil is a member of a number of advisory boards and is a non-exec Director on the National Biofilms Innovation Centre where he Chairs the Industry Advisory Board.
Prof Steve
Howell
Commercial Director
Steve is a serial entrepreneur within the health care sector having set up over a dozen companies, raised over £100m of investment and been involved in M&A activities for both SMEs and large corporates. In 2006, he founded the Life Science investment and partnering business Innova Partnerships Ltd after a successful career in the diagnostics industry. He is currently visiting Professor of Commercial Innovation at Kings College London.
Dr Andrew
McNair
Operations Director
Andy has more than 25 years of experience working in the life sciences sector. A chemist, Andy has a PhD in hydrogel polymers and drug delivery. He has held senior management and directorial roles in a number of start-up and early-stage companies as well as spending time as a commercialisation director in the university sector. In addition to the role with Penrhos Bio, Andy is Innova Partnerships Managing Director.
Resources & Facilities
Through our partnership with Unilever, Penrhos Bio benefits from an exclusive worldwide licence to the extensive lactam IP portfolio, currently around 100 patents in total and to the scientific team behind these discoveries.
The scientific team supporting Penrhos Bio are based between the Materials Innovation Factory (MIF) at the University of Liverpool and Unilever R&D HQ in Port Sunlight
Unilever provided substantial funding for the MIF and has exclusive access to an entire floor where the technical and product development is concentrated.
The MIF contains state of the art equipment for the development of anti-biofilm products and technologies.
Unilever is also providing wide-ranging support to Penrhos Bio including access to materials, equipment, market intelligence and partners.