Domainex granted Innovate UK award to develop GPCRs

Privately-owned drug discovery services company, Domainex, has been granted a £118,000 award from Innovate UK to develop a new biophysical screening method for G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs).

“Domainex is developing a new way of starting GPCR drug discovery projects by using a biophysical technique called MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST), in combination with a method developed by Professor Tim Dafforn and his team at the University of Birmingham to stabilise the receptor,” revealed Trevor Perrior, chief scientific officer, Domainex. “This Biomedical Catalyst Feasibility Award from Innovate UK will enable Domainex scientists to test the feasibility of using this approach on GPCRs, in order to establish a generic platform that would work for any purified GPCR without the need for stabilising mutations.”

“This 12-month project will lead to a new service that Domainex can offer to prospective clients. It will facilitate our clients' research projects meaning that better drugs will get to patients, faster,” added Tom Mander, chief operating officer, Domainex. “As an integrated drug discovery services provider, and the first CRO in the UK to offer fragment screening using MST, Domainex is in a unique position to innovate and advance drug discovery projects in this pivotal target class.”

Domainex was established in 2001 as a spin-out from University College London, Birkbeck College and the Institute of Cancer Research. It provides integrated medicines research services to global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and academic partners.