An Australian biotechnology company developing specialist tools for medical research has chosen Milton Park in Oxfordshire as the location for its first overseas headquarters, further strengthening the county’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading life sciences clusters.
IonOpticks has taken almost 3,000 square feet of laboratory and office space at 127 Olympic Avenue, creating a new regional hub that will support customers across the UK and Europe.
Founded in Melbourne in 2017, the company develops high-performance chromatography columns used in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), technology that enables scientists to analyse proteins more quickly and accurately.
The products are used in research spanning cancer, neurological diseases, biomarker discovery and the development of new medicines.
The new Milton Park facility will provide local stock, technical support, applications expertise and method development, allowing researchers across Europe to work more closely with IonOpticks’ specialist team while reducing delivery times.
The move also marks an important milestone for the company, with Milton Park becoming its first permanent base outside Australia.
Chief Executive Officer Xavier Perronnet said the location offered the ideal environment for the company’s next phase of international growth.
“Milton Park gives IonOpticks the ideal environment from which to deepen our support for customers across the UK and Europe.”
He added that having scientists and technical specialists based locally would enable closer collaboration with universities, research institutions and commercial partners, while supporting growing international demand for the company’s technology.
The expansion further reinforces Milton Park’s position as one of the UK’s most significant science and innovation communities.
Home to more than 280 organisations, the Oxfordshire campus hosts internationally recognised businesses across biotechnology, healthcare, energy and advanced technology, alongside close links with the University of Oxford, Harwell Campus and the wider Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor.
Among its established life sciences occupiers are Immunocore, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and New England Biolabs, alongside a growing number of innovative biotechnology companies.
Clare Fleet, Asset Manager at Milton Park for Federated Hermes Real Estate, welcomed the arrival of IonOpticks, describing the business as an important addition to the park’s expanding life sciences community.
She said the company’s work was helping researchers advance understanding of disease while contributing to future healthcare innovation.
The investment continues Milton Park’s steady growth as a destination for international science businesses looking to establish a presence within Oxfordshire’s globally recognised research ecosystem.
