29/10/2025
Forth Therapeutics: From LiveLabs to their own space at Babraham
Forth Therapeutics (Forth Tx), an Edinburgh-based biotech spin-out from the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Regeneration and Repair, is on a mission to transform how fibrotic diseases are treated. Founded on the pioneering research of Professor Neil Henderson, the company is developing precision therapeutics designed to halt – and potentially reverse – the progression of fibrosis (organ scarring), a condition that affects millions worldwide.
By combining advanced multi-omics including single-cell and spatial transcriptomics with access to one of the world’s largest single-cell human liver disease datasets, Forth Tx aims to accelerate discovery and translation of therapies that target the underlying mechanisms of fibrosis.
“Our ethos from the very beginning has been to stay lean and move quickly,” explains Henry Farmery, Head of Operations at Forth Tx. “We want to generate robust pre-clinical data and progress into the clinic as fast as we can.”
Why Babraham?
For Henry and the team, LiveLabs at Babraham Research Campus was the natural choice for Forth’s first laboratory outside of Edinburgh. Having previously worked on Campus with Alchemab Therapeutics, the founding team were already familiar with the supportive environment. But the deciding factor was speed.
“LiveLabs was exactly what we needed,” says Henry. “We could take bench space and be operational within months, rather than having to build a lab from scratch. It allowed us to hire scientists immediately and start generating data. Honestly, LiveLabs was the difference between being able to and not being able to do it.”
Forth Tx continues to make use of the shared equipment such as the Incucyte, as well as Babraham Institute core facilities in flow cytometry and imaging. “That access was absolutely crucial,” Henry adds. “We even ended up helping other companies use the kit – that sort of knowledge-sharing shows the value of the community on Campus.”
Growing with the ecosystem
The company has since expanded from Live Labs into its own space on Campus, maintaining its lean structure while building towards the future. For Henry, the combination of Edinburgh and Cambridge gives Forth Tx the best of both worlds: scientific roots in Scotland and the infrastructure and talent of Cambridge’s renowned antibody ecosystem.
“Cambridge is unparalleled for antibody development,” he says. “The ecosystem here – the companies, the talent, the prestige – is unique. Strategically, it’s exactly where we need to be.”
Looking ahead
As Forth Tx builds momentum, the company’s focus remains clear: advancing its fibrosis pipeline and growing carefully. “We don’t want to over-expand and then have to contract,” says Henry. “We’ll stay lean, do as much as we can with the resources we have, and make smart partnerships. Our goal is to get therapies to patients as quickly as possible.”
For Babraham Research Campus, Forth’s story highlights the impact of LiveLabs in helping ambitious young companies take their first steps. As Henry puts it:
“If you’re a company that needs to move fast, prove something and do it cost-effectively, LiveLabs is the place to start. Some companies simply wouldn’t exist without it.”