Scottish Brain Sciences

What Scottish Brain Sciences does

Scottish Brain Sciences is a Scottish clinical research organization founded in 2022 by Professor Craig Ritchie, a dementia researcher with over 25 years of neuroscience experience, and headquartered in Edinburgh at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium. Operating under the legal entity Brain Health Scotland Life Sciences Ltd., the company runs a multi-site footprint comprising headquarters in Edinburgh, a clinical research centre in Aberdeen at ONE BioHub, and a UKAS ISO 15189-accredited biomarker laboratory at Eden Campus in St Andrews. Its mandate is the early detection and treatment of neurodegenerative disease, with Alzheimer's as the primary focus area.

Its core capabilities integrate across three service lines. The accredited laboratory performs blood-based and cerebrospinal fluid biomarker testing, including plasma and CSF pTau-181 and pTau-217 assays for Alzheimer's pathology, alongside pioneering RT-QuIC analysis for Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease developed in-house by Dr Alison Green. Full-service clinical trial delivery is provided through the dedicated Edinburgh and Aberdeen research sites, supporting pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic sponsors. The IONA Gateway longitudinal cohort study is building one of the world's largest biobanks of genetic, blood, and imaging data in neurodegenerative disease, reportedly recruiting at ten times the rate of comparable studies, and supplies data and biobanking services to industry partners.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams. Clinical trial services for pharmaceutical and biotech companies operate on a professional services basis covering recruitment, assessment, biomarker testing, and data management. Biomarker diagnostic testing is sold to NHS healthcare providers, clinical trials, and research partners through the accredited laboratory. A third stream takes the form of a licensing/royalty arrangement through the strategic partnership with Roche Diagnostics, through which Roche's CE-marked Alzheimer's blood biomarker tests will be offered via the SBS laboratory from summer 2026. Customer segments span pharmaceutical and biotech enterprises (Roche, Exciva, Lilly), NHS and UK healthcare providers, academic institutions, and individual research participants aged 50+ in Scotland. In June 2026 the company achieved registration as an independent clinic with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, allowing it to integrate clinical care delivery with research participation under one operating model.

Name

Scottish Brain Sciences

Legal name

Brain Health Scotland Life Sciences Ltd.

Website

https://brainsciences.scot

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scottish Brain Sciences is a Scottish clinical research organization specializing in Alzheimer's and neurodegenerative disease research. It operates UKAS ISO 15189-accredited biomarker laboratories and clinical trial sites in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and St Andrews, serving pharmaceutical partners, NHS providers, and research participants aged 50+.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical Research Organization (Neurodegenerative Disease / Alzheimer's)

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical Biomarker Testing Services (central labs, trial enrollment/monitoring assays) (HLAAAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cognitive & Behavioral Neurology (Dementia/Memory Disorders) (HLAKAIAH), Dementia/Alzheimer’s Care Management & Behavioral Support (HLADALAF), Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

Keywords

• Alzheimer's disease research
• Biomarker diagnostics
• Clinical trial services
• Neurodegenerative research
• Brain health studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Clinical Trial Services: Full-service clinical research model providing biomarker-supported clinical trials for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Services include participant recruitment, clinical assessment, biomarker testing, and data management for drug development programs.
2. Biomarker Diagnostics Testing: Accredited laboratory services offering blood-based biomarker and cerebrospinal fluid testing for Alzheimer's disease to healthcare providers, clinical trials, and research partners. Services include both research and clinical development support.
3. Roche Partnership - Diagnostic Testing: Partnership with Roche Diagnostics providing CE-marked blood-based Alzheimer's biomarker tests through the SBS laboratory from summer 2026, expanding diagnostic capacity across the UK.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scottish Brain Sciences delivers end-to-end clinical research services for Alzheimer's disease and neurodegenerative conditions, including an accredited biomarker testing service (blood and CSF, including pTau-181/pTau-217), full-service clinical trial operations at dedicated research centres, the IONA longitudinal cohort study and biobank, and a registered independent brain health clinic. It serves pharmaceutical, biotech, NHS, and academic clients while also recruiting research participants aged 50+ in Scotland, with services anchored by a UKAS ISO 15189 laboratory at St Andrews.

Product overview

Scottish Brain Sciences operates as a clinical research organization offering an integrated suite of services for Alzheimer's disease and neurodegenerative disease research. The core portfolio includes: (1) an accredited biomarker laboratory service offering blood-based and cerebrospinal fluid testing for Alzheimer's diagnosis, (2) full-service clinical trial capabilities with dedicated research centres and in-house imaging, (3) the IONA longitudinal cohort study building a major biobank for neurodegeneration research, and (4) newly registered independent brain health clinic services integrating research participation with clinical care. Services are delivered across three research sites in Edinburgh (Murrayfield Stadium), Aberdeen (ONE BioHub), and St Andrews (Eden Campus laboratory).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alzheimer's Blood and Biomarker Testing Service
• Clinical Trial Services
• IONA Gateway Data and Biobanking
• Independent Brain Health Clinic Services

Quantifiable outcome

• IONA study recruiting 10x faster than comparable studies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered clinical trial, platinum sponsor, bronze sponsor, other sponsor, community partner, official partner, key advisor, core, flagship, strategic, academic and research.

• Exciva GmbHclinical trialStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026SERENADA clinical trial partnership with Exciva GmbH for investigating new medication to ease behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Scottish Brain Sciences is the only UK site and first European site participating in this global study.
• Lilly (Eli Lilly and Company)platinum sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026Platinum sponsor of the International Brain Health Conference 2026. Lilly is a medicine company turning science into therapies to make life better for people around the world.
• Roche Diagnostics UK and Irelandbronze sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026Bronze sponsor of the International Brain Health Conference 2026. Roche is one of the world's largest biotech companies and global supplier of transformative innovative solutions across major disease areas.
• Alliance Medicalbronze sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026Bronze sponsor of the International Brain Health Conference 2026. Europe's leading independent provider of imaging services operating across the UK, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Spain.
• ONE Life Sciences / ONE BioHubother sponsorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026Sponsor of the International Brain Health Conference 2026. ONE BioHub is the home for life sciences in Aberdeen providing laboratories and offices for start-up, spinout and scaling life sciences businesses.
• Golf in Societycommunity partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 September 2025Partnership with Golf in Society to promote healthy ageing and brain health through the power of golf, supporting community engagement in brain health research.
• Aberdeen FC Womenofficial partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 August 2025Official Partner of Aberdeen FC Women for the 2025/26 season. Partnership aims to promote brain health awareness and research participation opportunities in the north east of Scotland through the club's reach and influence.
• Dr James Robsonkey advisorOthers · 4 June 2025Appointment of Dr James Robson, MBE, former Scottish Rugby Chief Medical Officer, as Sport and Wellbeing Medical Advisor to oversee sports research initiatives and promote brain health across athletic communities.
• Scottish RugbycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 March 2025Long-standing partnership with Scottish Rugby built on shared commitment to player welfare and brain health. Includes collaboration on brain health clinic for former players and positioning of Edinburgh research centre at Scottish Gas Murrayfield stadium.
• ONE BioHub / Opportunity North EastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2024Scottish Brain Sciences announced as anchor tenant at ONE BioHub innovation hub on Aberdeen Foresterhill Health Campus. The BioHub is a key industry innovation project in the Aberdeen City Region Deal, funded by UK Government, Scottish Government, and Scottish Enterprise. The facility provides offices, laboratory, and consulting rooms for clinical trials.
• Roche DiagnosticsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 August 2023Major strategic partnership between Scottish Brain Sciences and Roche Diagnostics to develop blood-based biomarkers for early Alzheimer's detection. The collaboration aims to identify the earliest biological changes of neurodegenerative disease long before symptoms appear. Roche's CE-marked blood-based Alzheimer's biomarker test will be offered through the SBS laboratory from summer 2026.
• Davos Alzheimer's CollaborativestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative to progress healthcare system preparedness for brain health, working with colleagues from Brain Health Scotland.
• University of AberdeenacademicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with University of Aberdeen for the PUFFINS study utilizing next-generation imaging to improve brain disease detection. University researchers and NHS Grampian partners working with SBS at ONE BioHub.
• Women's Brain FoundationresearchStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Women's Brain Foundation on research review examining estrogen's link to women's higher dementia risk, with contribution from Dr Sarah Gregory and other SBS researchers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Cytox: UK-based precision neuroscience company providing genetic-based tests for Alzheimer's disease risk and prediction. Comparable as a smaller UK-headquartered neurodegenerative diagnostics player, though focused on genetic rather than protein biomarkers.

Direct peers

• Araclon Biotech: Spanish biotech developing ABtest blood-based assays for early Alzheimer's detection. Comparable direct peer in blood biomarker diagnostics for Alzheimer's with similar regulatory and clinical adoption challenges.
• Quanterix: US-listed biomarker measurement company whose ultra-sensitive Simoa platform underpins many neurodegenerative disease assays. Competes with SBS on enabling biomarker technology for Alzheimer's and other neurological conditions, serving pharma trials.
• BioAgilytix: Global biomarker testing services CRO supporting pharma and biotech with large-molecule bioanalytical and biomarker assay services. Direct peer in providing biomarker laboratory services to pharma for clinical trials, especially in neurology.
• C2N Diagnostics: US-based diagnostics company offering PrecivityAD, a blood-based biomarker test for Alzheimer's disease detection. Direct competitor in blood-based Alzheimer's biomarker testing with similar target customers (clinicians, pharma).

Broad incumbents

• Roche Diagnostics: Global diagnostics incumbent and SBS's flagship partner, supplying the CE-marked blood-based Alzheimer's biomarker test from summer 2026. Comparable as a broad incumbent — overlaps with SBS's clinical biomarker lab but at vastly larger scale across all disease areas.
• IQVIA: World's largest CRO where Director of Operations Gary White previously held senior roles. Comparable as a broad CRO incumbent with global trial and biomarker service capabilities — sets the enterprise competitive baseline SBS aims to differentiate against.
• Clario: Global clinical research and endpoint solutions provider with dedicated neuroscience therapeutic area expertise. Comparable as a larger CRO serving pharma with imaging and biomarker endpoints for neurodegenerative trials.
• LabCorp: Major global clinical laboratory network offering diagnostic testing, including through its Covance drug development arm. Comparable as a broad-incumbent clinical lab and CRO with biomarker capabilities competing for the same pharma and clinical diagnostics business.
• Eli Lilly: Global pharma developing disease-modifying Alzheimer's therapies (e.g., Kisunla/donanemab) and platinum sponsor of SBS's 2026 conference. Comparable as a customer and ecosystem participant, and indirect competitor for biomarker-driven patient stratification in trials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ScottishBrainSciences
• Facebookfacebook.com/ScottishBrainSciences
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scottish-brain-sciences
• Instagraminstagram.com/scottishbrainsciences
• Xx.com/Scot_Brain_Sci

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Scottish Brain Sciences