Medicines Discovery Catapult announces 22 partnerships to boost UK R&D

Medicines Discovery Catapult has announced 22 new partnership with UK contract research organisations (CROs) in an aim to boost the UK’s international competitiveness across life sciences research and development (R&D).

The CROs join Medicines Discovery Catapult’s Virtual R&D Discovery Services platform and will benefit from deeper market penetration and access to new customers they would not previously have access to. The platform combines full service and specialist private sector CROs and expert labs providing medicines discovery expertise, drug discovery services and state-of-the-art assays.

Discovery Services was launched in response to the industry’s growing dependency on outsourced drug discovery services. More so, the industry is reliant on SMEs, though 42% of biotech SMEs have fewer than five employees and require access to scientific expertise and technology.

Medicines Discovery Catapult hopes that access to expertise and relationships will help match UK SMEs with the best CROs. They will work together to deliver critical value-based experiments, ensure key data is captured and intellectual property is secured.

Medicines Discovery Catapult’s partners can also access wider virtual R&D capabilities. For example; a full project review, including assessment of existing data packages, gap analysis, creation and management of detailed delivery plans, support interpreting and assessing data and advice on development plans.

Dr Peter Simpson, chief scientific officer of Medicines Discovery Catapult, said: “Our aim is to support SMEs and academia to deliver their own discovery projects through convenient access to excellent assays and specialist drug discovery services. UK-based CROs can meet a wide range of needs for drug discovery innovators, and we are delighted to work in partnership with them to provide advice and project management to help ensure these relationships are successful.”

Dr Kath Mackay, director - Ageing Society, Health & Nutrition, Innovate UK says: “The UK’s drug discovery ecosystem is rich in size and scope and CROs are a vital part of this economy. Working with Innovate UK, Medicines Discovery Catapult is playing a crucial role in supporting this sector. Bringing together academia, SMEs and CROs will drive drug discovery with benefits for society and the economy.”