Auckland biotech recognised for diabetes research

2pm

Auckland biotech company Protemix has been named 'Start-up of the Year' at the New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards in Wellington last night.

Protemix CEO Neville Jordan said the award was in recognition of the "outstanding scientists who have been responsible for world-beating discoveries in the search for therapies to combat type-2 diabetes".

Diabetes affects tens of millions of people worldwide and complications caused by the type-2 strain can lead to blindness, heart problems, kidney failure and gangrene.

Protemix has a drug in trials which, they say, may suppress the diabetes' complications.

Protemix' laboratories are part of the University of Auckland, who are shareholders in the company.