A NUMBER of high profile Scottish investors have cashed in after CXR Biosciences was snapped up in what is believed to be a multi-million pound deal.

The Dundee University spin-out, founded in 2001, works to evaluate the potential toxicity to humans of chemicals and compounds which are in the early stages of development. It operates in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, consumer goods and oil and gas sectors.

The entire share capital of CXR has now been bought by Concept Life Sciences, which is backed by private equity firm Equistone.

Investors listed on CXR’s most recent annual return include Sir Brian Souter, Ann Gloag, Mike Rutterford, Alistair Salvesen and other members of the Archangels investment syndicate.

The document shows Scottish Enterprise is the single biggest shareholder with almost 15 per cent while CXR co-founder Clifford Elcombe has around 13 per cent of the business.

Ms Gloag has almost 11 per cent with her younger brother Sir Brian owning more than five per cent of the shares.

Mr Salvesen and Mr Rutterford have much smaller stakes. Dundee University owned 7.3 per cent of CXR.

Archangels and Scottish Enterprise have supported CXR since its spin-out and with subsequent financing rounds over the years.

Niki McKenzie, investment executive at Archangels, said: “This is a good deal for staff, for shareholders and for Scotland. CXR Biosciences is an excellent business and will benefit from being part of a larger life sciences group while retaining its base in Dundee.

“This move reflects Archangels’ approach of investing early, providing support and further investment to allow our companies to grow and exiting at a mutually advantageous opportunity once they reach maturity.

“We wish the business further success in the next chapter of the CXR story.”

Kerry Sharp, head of the Scottish Investment Bank, said: “Over the last 10 years, we have worked closely with CXR Biosciences to provide an integrated package of support and investment including help with realising their international trade ambitions.

“The acquisition by Concept Life Sciences allowing them to continue to operate in Dundee with the existing team is an optimal outcome.”

All 33 staff at CXR are being retained with chief executive Paul Smith hailing the deal as a “natural next step” for the business in its growth plan.

The company, where around half of the employees have PhD qualifications, will continue to be based in Dundee and retain its name.

Mr Smith said: “Concept has really good backing. They want more and wider services. The don’t want the handle turning research, mandated by the regulator. They want the high science and problem solving end of it.”

Mr Smith said Concept is supportive of CXR’s imminent move into dermal absorption testing and toxicology as well as additional new areas it is looking at.

Asked whether this would mean additional staff in Dundee he said: “The first thing on the cards is the dermal services and we have a couple of other high science areas we are hoping to introduce to our pharmaceutical and agrochemical clients.

“That will be agreed as we go on this. I’m sure there will be more expansion in Dundee.”

Abbreviated accounts filed at Companies House show CXR made an after tax profit of more than £1.3 million in the 12 months to February 2014, from a loss of £533,340 in the previous year.

Concept is understood to have been keen to expand its service offering and believes it can help CXR widen its client base further across Europe.

It is the fourth acquisition Manchester based Concept has done since it was formed last year.

It bought Peakdale Molecular, Resource & Environmental Consultants and Scientific Analysis Laboratories in what was described as a deal with a combined enterprise value of $100m.

Scientific Analysis Laboratories has a site in East Kilbride while Resource & Environmental Consultants has offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Concept’s executive chairman Michael Fort said: “Over the past year our group’s organic growth has been impressive.

“We plan to continue to complement that growth with a series of carefully selected strategic acquisitions, thus adding significant value and expertise to the group.

“At the time of launch we laid out ambitious plans to build a comprehensive suite of niche, high-value, problem-solving services for our life science customer base. With the addition of market leading organisations such as CXR, we are more than achieving those plans.

“We have identified a number of other complementary acquisitions, both in the UK and Europe, which we hope to execute during the remainder of 2015.”