Muirhead Industries C.I.C. Company no. 17237748 · London, United Kingdom
MUIRHEAD INDUSTRIES C.I.C.
UK Community Interest Company · Incorporated 22 May 2026

Closing the gap between biological threat detection and countermeasure production.

Muirhead Industries works on two problems: the detection of biological agents in the field, and small‑scale, controllable biomanufacturing. The aim is to reduce the time between identifying a biological threat and producing a countermeasure.

It is constituted as a UK community interest company and operates within national biosecurity and contained‑use regulation. The company integrates and operates regulated capability, with the long-term goal of on-the-spot fabrication of genetic constructs.

Company record
Registered name
Muirhead Industries C.I.C.
Company number
17237748
Company type
Private company limited by guarantee. Community interest company.
Incorporated
22 May 2026
Registered office
48 Bracewell Road, London, W10 6AF, England
Status
Active
Nature of business
SIC 72190 · research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering
Backer
William Mortimer Muirhead AO
Programmes and partnerships described on this site are in preparation or under discussion. The DASA Biosecurity Frontiers bid has not been awarded.
01

Primary programme: DASA Biosecurity Frontiers

Current work is directed at the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) Biosecurity Frontiers competition, which sets two linked requirements. The bid is in preparation and has not been awarded.

Requirement
Description
Field biodetectionChallenge A
Identification of biological agents outside a fixed laboratory, returning a usable result within operationally relevant time rather than over days.
Modular manufacturing‑controlChallenge B
Small‑scale, relocatable production of a defined countermeasure under documented process control and provenance, under regulated conditions.
Demonstrator
Parameter
Objective
A single, scoped build proving both requirements together
Technology readiness
TRL 5 to 6
Duration
12 months
Environment
Relevant operational environment, defined acceptance criteria
02

Research and development

Alongside the DASA demonstrator, the company conducts early research into computational methods for countermeasure design. The objective is to predict how a candidate molecule binds and modulates a biological target, ranking candidates before laboratory work begins and shortening the path from threat identification to validated countermeasure.

The intended application is prophylactic and therapeutic agents delivered by viral vectors, including adenovirus and adeno‑associated virus. This work is at an early stage and is carried out with specialist scientific collaborators under formal agreement.

Field
Detail
Method
Protein‑language modelling of target engagement
Quantities
Binding thermodynamics and intrinsic activity
Application
Viral‑vector prophylactics and therapeutics
Stage
Early research, partner‑led science
03

Operating framework

At this stage, the company is deliberate about the boundary between operations, which it holds, and the scientific design of biological constructs, which sits with academic partners. The long-term aim is to bring construct design in-house as regulated capability matures.

Scope
The company integrates and operates biosecurity capability. Genetic construct design currently sits with academic partners; the intention is to develop this capability in-house over time.
Science
Vector biology and construct design are currently undertaken by academic and clinical partners under formal agreement, as the company builds towards integrated in-house capability.
Regulation
Work is conducted within UK biosecurity and contained‑use frameworks, including controls under the Anti‑terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 and the Health and Safety Executive regime for the contained use of genetically modified organisms.
Constitution
As a community interest company limited by guarantee, the company is subject to an asset lock. Its assets and any surplus are applied to its purposes.
04

Development status

A plain record of where each element stands. Items marked open are not yet in place.

Incorporation22 May 2026Complete
DASA Biosecurity Frontiers bidIn preparation
Laboratory and manufacturing capabilityPlanned
Academic and clinical partnershipsUnder discussion
05

Governance and people

A small founding team, and a backer who has built companies before.

Sam Muirhead
Director · Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Sole director since day one. He sets programme strategy and runs the regulated side of the operation.
Amr Barakat
Co‑founder & Chief Strategy Officer
Holds governance and partnerships; steers the research and strategy agenda.
William Mortimer Muirhead AO
Backer
Angel investor, and a co‑founder of the advertising group M&C Saatchi. He backs the company through its early years.

Academic and clinical advisers are being appointed.

06

Contact

For enquiries, including partnership and funding enquiries, and questions on the Biosecurity Frontiers programme.

Registered office
48 Bracewell Road,
London, W10 6AF,
England
Companies House
No. 17237748