Actiframe is a technology spinout from the University of St Andrews that is developing materials to prevent spasm and blood clotting during vascular access procedures.
Our patented materials allow the release of an active agent called nitric oxide (NO) from the surface of vascular access devices. The released NO can prevent thrombosis and spasm – two frequently occurring problems when deploying these devices inside arteries.
Our goal is to reduce risk and discomfort to patients whilst making it easier and less expensive for clinicians to complete both routine and increasingly complex procedures.
Meet The Team
Morven Duncan
Head of Applications Development
Morven has over sixteen years’ experience of practising inorganic chemistry in both academia and start-up companies. She has a proven track record in successfully delivering projects combining fundamental research with product development to realise full commercialisation potential.
Her expertise extends to a diverse range of application areas including ink formulations for commercial sensor products, new compounds for medical diagnostic assays and innovative surface eluting antibacterial technology. Morven has a research M.Sc. degree in Materials Chemistry and a B.Sc. Hons in Chemistry.
Brett Simpson
Chair & Interim CEO
Brett has over 35 years of business experience leading specialist technology and manufacturing businesses and has successfully developed and implemented growth strategies leveraging advantaged and often patent protected technology positions on a truly global basis within private equity, infrastructure fund owned and listed environments.
Latterly he has chaired St Andrews Applied Research Ltd (StAAR), the University of St Andrews owned umbrella company for its commercial legal entities covering all entrepreneurial, technology transfer, international spin-out and commercial activities. Brett holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, NY and a BE Hons in Chemical Engineering from Monash University, Melbourne.
Prof Russell Morris
Chief Scientific Officer
Russell is the Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews. He is recognized internationally as a pioneer and innovator in porous materials chemistry and has published extensively in this area. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards – many directly connected to the technology that forms the basis of Actiframe; for example, RSC’s award for Applied Inorganic Chemistry (2010), Royal Society’s flagship prize for innovation, the Brian Mercer Award (2012), RSC’s Peter Day award for Materials Chemistry (2015).
He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2008), The Learned Society of Wales (2012), The Royal Society (2016), and Academia Europea (2017). Russell is currently Vice-president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh with responsibility for the physical sciences and engineering.
Keith Millican
Finance Director
Keith is Director of Enterprise, nurturing individuals and teams to transform early-stage ideas into sustainable companies. A proponent for the start-up culture within the University, Keith has 35 years of financial and operating expertise, covering corporate finance, acquisitions, divestments, turnarounds and start-ups across industries.
Keith is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Director, and Fellow of the Institute of Directors. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship from Cambridge University’s Judge Business School
Technical
Actiframe’s products are based on a class of materials called Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs).
MOFs for Biomedical Applications
MOFs are microporous powders that can be loaded with biologically active and medically useful agents. Actiframe manipulates the highly tuneable chemistry of MOFs to integrate features that allow storage and controlled release of nitric oxide.1 Acting like reservoirs, our MOF products can be incorporated into coatings and formulations to provide controlled release of the active agent from device surfaces.2
Nitric Oxide
Nitric oxide is a gaseous biological signalling molecule that is critical to many functions within our bodies, including vasodilation and controlling platelet adhesion.3,4 Having the ability to controllably deliver NO artificially and enhance the body’s natural mechanisms is very relevant to many healthcare applications.
Being a gas, NO is inherently difficult to handle. Furthermore, administration of too much NO is highly dangerous. With our MOF technology however, we are able to release NO at the correct concentration, and at the preferred location over the required timescale to achieve the desired biological response, safely.
Formulating MOFs into your product
Achieving the correct formulation in appropriate matrices is critical to the successful application of MOFs to healthcare products. The technical team at Actiframe has over ten years’ experience of incorporating MOF powders into coatings, articles and formulations spanning many different product types. We work closely with our customers to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.
Biomedical MOF supply
Actiframe has developed proprietary methods for the manufacture of its products that remove the historic reliance by MOF researchers on toxic and environmentally undesirable solvents and energetically wasteful conditions.5 Actiframe manufactures MOFs at scale under cGMP protocols.
1. A.C. McKinlay, B. Xiao, D.S. Wragg, P.S. Wheatley, I.L. Megson and R.E. Morris, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 10440. Exceptional Behavior over the Whole Adsorption-Storage-Delivery Cycle for NO in Porous Metal Organic Frameworks
2. D. Cattaneo, S.J. Warrender, M.J. Duncan, C.J. Kelsall, M.K. Doherty, P.D. Whitfield, I.L. Megson and R.E. Morris, RSC Advances, 2016, 6, 14059. Tuning the nitric oxide release from CPO-27 MOFs
3. A.B. Levine, D. Punihaole and T.B. Levine, Cardiology, 2012, 122, 55. Characterization of the Role of Nitric Oxide and Its Clinical Applications
4. E.M. Coghill, T. Johnson, R.E. Morris, I.L. Megson and S.J. Leslie, World J. Cardiol., 2020, 12, 26. Radial artery access site complications during cardiac procedures, clinical implications and potential solutions: The role of nitric oxide
5. D. Cattaneo, S.J. Warrender, M.J. Duncan, R.E. Morris, R. Castledine, N. Parkinson and I. Haley, Dalton Transaction, 2016, 45,618. Water based scale up of CPO-27 synthesis for nitric oxide delivery
Partner With Us
With an innovative and collaborative ethos, Actiframe seeks and works closely with strategic partners to develop bespoke products and formulations.
By combining our solid scientific heritage, knowhow and expertise, Actiframe aims to deliver novel vasodilatory and anti-thrombotic functionality to dramatically improve the performance of medical devices.
Contact us to discuss how our products and expertise can benefit your business by adding bespoke functionality and value to your products.