January 28th, 2010: Domainex Ltd and Pharmidex announced today the formation of a strategic alliance, combining their expertise and innovative technologies to provide the market with an integrated, high-quality drug discovery services platform. The joint service offering will amalgamate Domainex’s LeadBuilder technology for cost-effective hit-finding, as well as its highly-experienced medicinal chemistry team, with Pharmidex’s renowned expertise and in vitro and in vivo capabilities in drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK). Concordant with the established track records of both partners, the alliance will have a particular emphasis on tackling the most challenging of scientific problems, including novel or “difficult” drug targets. Examples of this proficiency include Domainex’s proven capabilities in peptidomimetic drugs, and Pharmidex’s recognised expertise in the study of DMPK within the central nervous system (NeuroPK® and NeuroPD®).
Dr Eddy Littler, CEO of Domainex commented: “Pharmidex and Domainex have both identified clients who wish to be supported with an integrated discovery and lead characterisation platform. By forming this alliance we can offer this option to those clients who need it, providing this service to them in a seamless manner. Domainex has been searching for a DMPK partner that has both the level of expertise and the range of capabilities to match our specialist know-how and capabilities in the fields of medicinal chemistry and the expression of difficult protein targets. Pharmidex was the obvious choice for a strategic partnership. We are very impressed with their capabilities and track record in DMPK services, and especially their ability to work on demanding and unusual problems. Together, the two companies will forge a strong alliance for the benefit of our current and future clients.”
Dr Mohammad Alavijeh, CEO of Pharmidex commented: “We are delighted to be working with the team at Domainex. They have a fantastic track record in R&D success, including the delivery of several candidate drugs on behalf of their clients - predominantly organisations in the academic and biotech sectors. Pharmidex works with similar organisations, but also has a strong customer base for our drug discovery services in the pharma sector. We believe that this alliance of skills and expertise will enable us to extend our client-base in multiple drug discovery sectors.”
Dr Keith Powell Chairman of Domainex added: “Domainex had an excellent 2009, especially towards the end of the year when we secured several significant contracts with large pharmaceutical companies for our Combinatorial Domain Hunting biology services. We are very pleased to have started 2010 in the same positive manner and are on a solid footing to make further commercial progress. “
Dr Ken Powell Chairman of Pharmidex said “Pharmidex’s reputation and client base in the Pharma sector is growing quickly, and MRC Technology – one of our existing clients - has just endorsed Pharmidex as its sole provider of in vivo PK studies for 2010. We are not just providing services to our clients but knowledge and experience which together with a flexible approach to study design has endeared us to clients seeking real value.”
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About Domainex
Domainex uses unique and proprietary technologies to resolve common bottlenecks facing the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in the post-genomic era. Major discovery 'gaps' exist between the vast amount of genomic information that is now available, the accessibility of the corresponding proteins for use in target validation and drug discovery, and the identification of robust hits in a cost effective manner. Founded in 2002, Domainex is a privately owned company with laboratories in Cambridge, England, and offices in the London Bioscience Innovation Centre.
Domainex has developed a number of platform technologies specifically aimed at enabling biotech or university groups who have exciting new drug targets. Its Combinatorial Domain Hunting (CDH) technology will deliver protein constructs that are soluble, stable, and produced in high-yield - thereby opening up the path to high throughput screening, structural biology, or antibody production. Domainex has also developed LeadBuilder - a virtual screening approach for targets which is specifically aimed at identifying hit molecules that are ideally suited for further development. The experienced medicinal chemistry team has a proven track record by providing expertise to take hit compounds through lead optimisation and on to candidate selection. Several compounds arising from these collaborations are currently in clinical evaluation.
Domainex works with clients on a fee-for-service basis. In 2008, the company secured investment to establish its own internal drug discovery pipeline based upon a number of targets in oncology. These targets are being progressed using Domainex’s platform technologies.
For more information: www.domainex.co.uk
About Pharmidex
Pharmidex provides high quality, specialist CNS, ADME/PK, drug safety & bioanalytical services for lead optimisation through to drug development allowing our clients to quickly and cost-effectively identify and progress their new medicines. Since 2002, Pharmidex has established itself as the world leading centre for studying CNS drug distribution and biochemical responses to new drugs using its proprietary NeuroPK® and NeuroPD® technologies. Using these technologies drug action can be associated with free drug levels at the target site and systemic pharmacokinetic data.
Today Pharmidex provides an extensive range of in vitro, in situ and in vivo ADMET/PK technologies covering a wide range of species, to underpin its world leading CNS expertise. Clients can select from the extensive platform technologies or request bespoke studies to address specific needs, all of which are rapidly undertaken by highly qualified scientists from academic and industry backgrounds.
The Scientists and Management Team at Pharmidex have extensive knowledge of discovery and development of new drugs, covering a broad range of drug targets.
Pharmidex has its own research activities which include providing clients with a drug delivery technology to the brain called Cerense®; this technology can improve the brain uptake of both large (macromolecules) and small, new or existing drugs offering better efficacy, less side-effects or just delivering therapies that could never access the brain.
Pharmidex has a very successful track record in obtaining financial support for our scientific development via grant applications in the US, UK and EU and by partnering on a ‘shared risk-shared reward’ basis with other companies. This proven approach has led to the co-development of the CNS delivery system, Cerense® with Genzyme Pharmaceuticals.
For more information www.pharmidex.com