Braveheart Investment Group PLC (LON:BRH) has said its investee company Kirkstall is to collaborate with Animal Free Research UK to supply its Quasivivo proprietary testing equipment for use in coronavirus (COVID-19) research.
The group noted that the QuasiVivo system helps to minimise the need for animal trials and next week Animal Free Research UK will launch an initiative calling on UK universities to use technology in COVID-19 research.
To support the programme, it said Kirkstall will provide QuasiVivo cell test chambers without charge to research teams selected by the charity and also provide technical support from founder and CEO Malcolm Wilkinson.
Braveheart owns 64.7% of Kirkstall.
In its update, Braveheart noted that another firm in its portfolio, Pharm 2 Farm (51.7%) is also now producing medical-grade hand sanitiser gel and plans to increase production to 2,000 litres per day by the end of May.
The group said Pharm 2 Farm has started to supply care homes as well as the NHS and is looking at ways to produce other items of protective equipment.