Staff at a St Ives based pharmaceutical company celebrated its £1.7m sale with a trip to watch their colleague’s performance in panto.  

Dermatonics Ltd, in Bramley Road, makes specialist foot products with its main line being a heel balm that helps reduce the risk of ulceration for people with diabetes.  

To celebrate the acquisition, some of the team enjoyed front row seats at the Houghton and Wyton Amateur Dramatic Society’s panto.  

Greg Andrell, Dermatonic’s CEO, said: “It was a great way to celebrate and a hilarious evening. 

“Our colleague on stage didn’t know we were going, so it was a bit of a shock for him.” 

SkinBioTherapeutics PLC agreed to buy Dermatonics for £1.7m initially, plus up to a £1.3m earnout over three years.  

Dermatonics has annual earnings of £230,000 on £1.8m in revenue.   

Mr Andrell said: “The business carries on running as is - and this now gives us access to interesting technology which has come out of Manchester University.

“Incorporating this into our products might make them more effective than they are already.”  

Dermatonics has been producing dermatological products for 15 years.