Phytopharm seeks ban on protestors

DRUG discovery group Phytopharm is seeking an injunction in the High Court that would make it the first quoted British biotech trying to protect staff from alleged harassment.

Pressure group Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (Shac) claims that because Phytopharm has a licensing agreement with Japanese giant Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical, a client of animal-testing company Huntingdon Life Sciences, it is a legitimate target.

Recently, activists from Shac have targeted Phytopharm whose treatments for obesity, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are sourced from natural plant remedies.

Phytopharm alleges that protesters have broken into its premises and intimidated staff, particularly female employees.

They are not said to have caused any damage or hurt anyone, but Phytopharm wants more legal powers to prevent Shac and other groups from trespass and harassment. So far, no staff have been targeted at home, although the company fears activists will launch such action, as they have with other companies.

'We simply want to stop them harassing us,' said Phytopharm chief financial officer Dr Wang Chong. Phytopharm has won plaudits for being one of Britain's 'greenest' drug companies, but Shac is determined to prevent it working with Yamanouchi, its Japanese marketing partner, which has been making milestone payments for its work on Alzheimer's treatments.

Phytopharm is determined not to be bullied into pulling out of its contracts. In any case, the contracts are legally binding and form a major part of Phytopharm's financial future.

The biotech industry has suffered a series of setbacks from protesters and the BioIndustry Association plans to call for new laws to protect its member firms and workforces.

Huntingdon Life Sciences almost collapsed because of a campaign here and in the US against the ethics of its business. This has led to it stepping up its campaign against biotechs. Chiron Corporation, the US-listed vaccines group that bought Britain's Powder-Ject Pharmaceuticals last year, has taken action in US courts.

Last month, Securicor pulled out of its contract with Huntingdon after saying its managers had been intimidated. Deloitte last year resigned as auditor and, in 2002, the Government provided emergency insurance cover after underwriters pulled out.

The High Court last October used anti-stalker legislation to protect Huntingdon customers, including Yamanouchi. Shac, the Animal Liberation Front and the Animal Rights Militia were named in the injunctions.