A pioneering North Wales pharmaceutical company is significantly expanding its international presence, backed by a major equity investment, as global demand for accurate food allergy testing soars.
Driving Global Growth from a Welsh Base
Reacta Healthcare, based in Deeside, has secured nearly £3 million in equity investment from the Development Bank of Wales to fuel its worldwide expansion strategy. The company, which employs 80 people in North Wales, is transforming how food allergies are diagnosed through its innovative Oral Food Challenge (OFC) products.
The firm's pharmaceutical-grade diagnostics are already shipped to more than 300 clinical trial sites globally, establishing Reacta as the only worldwide OFC supplier operating to strict Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. This capability positions the company uniquely to support large-scale international clinical research programmes.
Meeting a Critical Global Healthcare Need
The expansion comes amid sharply rising demand for food allergy diagnostics, driven by an estimated 250 million people worldwide living with food allergies. In the UK alone, approximately 8.5% of the population is affected by food allergies, highlighting the critical importance of accurate diagnosis.
Reacta Healthcare has launched two new products as part of its mission to make food allergy diagnosis more accurate, efficient and safe. These developments are helping pharmaceutical companies and research organisations accelerate the next generation of food allergy treatments while maintaining regulatory confidence.
The company's existing product portfolio has already supported numerous global food allergy therapeutic clinical trials, including use in a phase 3 trial for a new peanut patch therapy expected to seek regulatory approval in the United States in 2026.
From University Innovation to Global Impact
Founded on technology developed at the University of Manchester by professors Ashley Woodcock and Claire Mills, Reacta Healthcare relocated to North Wales in 2018 to expand production capabilities. The company has since established a state-of-the-art facility licensed by the MHRA for Good Manufacturing Practice.
The Development Bank of Wales first backed Reacta in 2019 and has now invested £2.8 million in total equity, including £1 million in a £2.9 million funding round led by Manchester-based Praetura Ventures in 2021. This sustained support has enabled the business to transition from a food-science enterprise to a fully licensed pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Chief executive Paul Abrahams commented: "Our work helps improve the accuracy and safety of food allergy testing worldwide. The continued support from the Development Bank of Wales gave us the confidence and capital to grow – expanding our product range and global footprint while staying rooted in North Wales."
"We're proving that world-class science can thrive here in Wales," Abrahams added. "From Deeside to the world, we're proud to be making a difference."
Belinda Mortell, Head of Commercial at Reacta Healthcare, emphasised the patient impact: "These new therapies are life-changing for patients, and Reacta has been part of that journey from the very beginning. We're proud that our North Wales-made products are playing a role in shaping global healthcare."
Duncan Gray, technology venture investments director at the Development Bank of Wales, described Reacta as "a great Welsh success story", noting that their "innovation, commitment to quality and global ambition showcase the potential of North Wales as a hub for advanced life sciences and manufacturing."
