BioCity-backed CROs target biotech, mid-sized pharma customers in new discovery alliance
XenoGesis, a Nottingham-based contract research organization (CRO), and BioAscent Discovery Limited, which provides drug discovery services at the former Organon/MSD R&D site in Newhouse, Scotland, have announced a new alliance.
XenoGesis and BioAscent have both received investment from BioCity Group, a UK-based life science incubator.
Paul Smith, CEO of BioAscent, told us both companies independently saw a gap in the market; specifically, for a service provider that could offer “a bespoke, flexible, competitive integrated drug discovery service targeted primarily at biotech, mid-sized pharma, and academic drug developers.”
Additionally, Smith said the market lacked a provider with existing access to a high-quality compound library and compound management facilities as well as “genuine expertise and credentials in the three key discovery disciplines of biosciences, medicinal chemistry, and DMPK.”
Richard Weaver, managing director, XenoGesis said: “Each company sees a benefit to its customers in the collaboration, allowing us together to offer a truly comprehensive integrated drug discovery service.”
As such, the companies expect the collaboration “to thrive over time,” he told us.
“It is critical that any small molecule drug discovery project team has access both to laboratory services and expert input – with regards to biosciences and screening, medicinal chemistry and DMPK – right from the very earliest stages of assay development and hit identification, through to lead optimization and beyond,” added Smith.
“This collaboration offers that to biotech, mid-sized pharma, and academic drug developers,” he said.
