15th May 2012 Nottingham and Harrow, UK Sygnature Discovery Limited, a leading provider of integrated drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical industry, and Pneumolabs (UK) Limited, a contract research company offering a range of pre-clinical research services focused on respiratory diseases, today announced they have entered into a strategic alliance.  Under the terms of the agreement, Sygnature and Pneumolabs will collaborate to provide a fully-integrated drug discovery service to accelerate clients’ drug discovery programmes into development.  This new alliance complements Sygnature’s existing strategic alliances with Cyprotex Discovery, a centre of excellence for in vitro ADME/toxicology, and Saretius, a pre-clinical experimental services company offering ‘gold standard’ techniques in pain, metabolic and CNS disorders, inflammatory disease and in vivo pharmacokinetics.

Dr Phillip Gardiner, CEO at Pneumolabs said, “We are pleased to have entered into a strategic alliance with Sygnature Discovery.  Sygnature has established a reputation for quality science and an ability to generate real value for their clients’ drug discovery programmes.  In addition, we have been collaborating with Sygnature for three years on a highly successful respiratory programme which has generated four candidate drugs, so we already have a well-established working relationship..  Our strategic alliance combines the complementary skills of Pneumolabs, a “centre of excellence” for respiratory disease-focused pre-clinical research services, and Sygnature, a “centre of excellence” for medicinal chemistry-driven integrated drug discovery.  Pneumolabs will continue to provide pre-clinical services independently, but will also be able to contribute to fully-integrated drug discovery programmes through Sygnature’s “federated” CRO model.  Working closely together on respiratory disease-focused discovery projects, we are confident that Pneumolabs and Sygnature can advance clients’ programmes more quickly and effectively.”

Commenting on the new strategic alliance, Dr Simon Hirst, Sygnature’s CEO said, “Pneumolabs has gained an excellent reputation as a contract research company which provides high quality pre-clinical research services focused on respiratory diseases.  The senior management each has extensive experience of drug discovery and development gained at GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Bayer, Merck and Etiologics.  They have initiated and led numerous projects which have successfully progressed compounds from early stage drug discovery into clinical development.  The close working relationship that we have already established with Pneumolabs will be cemented through this new strategic alliance.  It enables Sygnature Discovery to offer its customers a world class, respiratory disease-focused integrated drug discovery service where novel compounds can be designed, synthesised and screened in vitro at Sygnature, assessed at Cyprotex for their metabolic liability and toxicity, and tested at Pneumolabs in pharmocodynamic and disease-relevant in vivo models.  This powerful combination of alliance partners will help advance our clients’ respiratory-focused drug discovery programmes towards development more efficiently.”

Nottingham, UK – 27^th April 2012 Sygnature Discovery, a leading provider of integrated drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical industry, today celebrated the official opening of its new research laboratories with a symposium of world class science.  Dr Stewart Adams OBE, the inventor of ibuprofen, started the festivities by officially opening the third laboratory in Sygnature’s purpose-designed and built “state-of-the-art” facility.  This is the largest laboratory in the company’s operations, located in the Laurus Building, BioCity Nottingham, with the capacity to house 25 medicinal chemists and in vitro biologists.  Sygnature Discovery currently employs 56 laboratory-based scientists in three laboratories and has the space to accommodate over 70 chemists and biologists.  There is also additional room to build further laboratories and offices for new staff.

Following the official opening, there was a drug discovery symposium attended by clients, pharmaceutical professionals, students from local universities and Sygnature staff.  The symposium began with a welcome by Mr Toby Reid, Director, BioCity Nottingham, and an introduction by Dr Simon Hirst, CEO, Sygnature Discovery.  It then continued with scientific presentations by a host of top class speakers.  These included Dr John Dixon, JD International Consulting Ltd. (formerly VP, Drug Discovery, at AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood); Dr Pete Strong, CSO, RespiVert Ltd. (part of Janssen Biotech); Prof Michael Shipman, University of Warwick and Prof Christopher Moody, University of Nottingham.

Following this prestigious event, Dr Simon Hirst, Sygnature’s CEO commented, “I am very pleased that Sygnature Discovery has been able to celebrate its on-going growth and success with a symposium of world class science attended by clients, senior industry researchers, students and staff.  It was a highly-enjoyable occasion and focused on what I feel sets Sygnature Discovery apart from our competitors – the science.  Over the past 7 years, the intellectual input and practical laboratory skills of our high calibre medicinal chemists and bioscientists has been crucially important to the success of our clients’ drug discovery projects.  It is also the reason why Sygnature Discovery has grown to 65 employees and increased its turnover by 40% in two successive financial years.  Sygnature is fast becoming a leading UK-based provider of integrated drug discovery services and today’s symposium was a celebration of the science of drug discovery within the company, the East Midlands and the UK.”

Official Opening: Toby Reid, Director - BioCity Nottingham; Dr Stewart Adams, Inventor of Ibuprofen & Dr Simon Hirst, CEO - Sygnature Discovery

1^st March 2012 – A team of young medicinal chemists from Sygnature Discovery were runners-up in the inaugural “National Retrosynthesis Competition”, which took place at SCI HQ in London on 29^th February 2012.  Four of Sygnature Discovery’s chemists, Tom Baker, Tom Fowler, Brett Stevenson and Euan Fordyce, faced stiff opposition from 9 other teams from United Kingdom academia and the pharmaceutical industry in the Final.

The “National Retrosynthesis Competition” was organised as a celebration of organic chemistry in the UK and designed to showcase the high calibre of young chemists from both industry and academia.  Each team was required to present a retrosynthetic analysis of a complex chemical entity for one of two molecules to a judging panel composed of top UK academics and industrial chemists.  The judges and the audience then asked questions to each team.  The Competition was won by a team from the University of Oxford, but the Sygnature Discovery team were a close second place.

Dr Paul Clewlow, Sygnature Discovery’s SVP, Business Development, said, “Tom, Brett, Euan and Tom did extremely well in the final of the “National Retrosynthesis Competition”.  They beat tough competition from much larger UK-based pharmaceutical companies, CROs and universities.  This strong performance in the Competition highlights the talented medicinal chemists that we have working at Sygnature.  I would like to congratulate them on their success.”

23^rd January 2012 – In celebration of organic chemistry in the United Kingdom, The Young Chemists’ Panel of the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) is holding the inaugural “National Retrosynthesis Competition” at SCI HQ in London on 29^th February 2012.

This prestigious event will showcase the high calibre of UK scientists from both industry and academia.  Four of Sygnature Discovery’s young chemists, Tom Baker, Tom Fowler, Brett Stevenson and Euan Fordyce, have battled their way through to the Final against fierce competition.

There was a large influx of entries during Round 1 of the National Retrosynthesis Competition and the Sygnature Discovery team was judged to be amongst the top 10 entries.  On the day of the Final, each team will be required to present a retrosynthetic analysis of a complex chemical entity for one of two molecules to a judging panel composed of top UK academics and industrial chemists.  The judges and the audience will then ask questions to each team in the Final.

Dr Simon Hirst, Sygnature Discovery’s CEO, said, “I am extremely proud that Tom, Brett, Euan and Tom have made it through to the final of the National Retrosynthesis Competition .  This demonstrates the quality and talent of the medicinal chemists that we employ at Sygnature.  I wish them good luck in the Final and really hope they bring the Radley’s Trophy back to BioCity Nottingham.”

Nearsourcing Drug Discovery: Dr Paul Clewlow, Senior Vice-President, Business Development at Sygnature Discovery contributed an article to the December 2011 issue of Pharmaceutical Executive Global Digest .  This discussed the “nearsourcing” of drug discovery and how it is possible to grow a small CRO with a skilled scientific team and the right market approach, such as Sygnature Discovery, to become a significant player in the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA.

“Nearsourcing” is a huge marketing differentiator for Sygnature Discovery and other CROs based in UK/Europe and sets them apart from drug discovery CROs located in the Far East.  In addition, anecdotal evidence suggests that the internal flux generated by constant restructuring in the wake of mergers or site closures by big pharma is also creating new demand for increased outsourcing.  Important big pharma drug discovery programmes can continue externally, undertaken by experienced drug discoverers embedded in European CROs, whilst the ‘dust settles’ following the latest reorganisation.

In addition, there is a growing perception that small pharma / biotechs and mid-sized pharmaceutical companies may not be receiving the same level of attention and service as major pharma companies receive from CROs based in the Far East and India; which are keen to ensure their ties with big pharma remain strong.  More “local” drug discovery CROs with considerable in-house drug discovery know-how and expertise are also more attractive to smaller companies that cannot afford to send scientists to oversee projects contracted out to companies in developing nations.  The trend for “nearsourcing” by mid-sized and smaller companies is growing and CROs with integrated drug discovery capability across Europe, such as Sygnature, are finding that their workloads have greatly increased in the past couple of years.

Read the full article in the December 2011 issue of Pharmaceutical Executive Global Digest http://digital.findpharma.com/nxtbooks/advanstaruk/pegd_201112/#/10

Nottingham and Macclesfield, UK – 16^th December 2011 – Sygnature Discovery Ltd., a leading provider of integrated drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical industry, and Cyprotex Discovery Ltd., the world’s largest specialist ADME-Tox/PK pre-clinical discovery and development CRO, today announced they have entered into an extension of their highly successful strategic alliance for a further 2 years.  Under the terms of the extension of the agreement, Sygnature and Cyprotex will expand their collaborative sales and marketing initiative to provide a fully-integrated discovery chemistry/ADME-Tox/DMPK service to accelerate their clients’ drug discovery projects into development.

Dr Anthony Baxter, Chief Executive Offer at Cyprotex said, “We are delighted to have extended our strategic alliance with Sygnature.  The quality of their work and their desire to help customers achieve scientific success has enabled both of us to form a formidable combined offering in medicinal chemistry-driven integrated drug discovery and ADME-Tox services.  Since we commenced this relationship there have been several changes to both companies.  Both Sygnature and Cyprotex have expanded considerably, with Cyprotex acquiring Apredica, a Boston based ADME-Tox specialist CRO and the assets of Cellumen Inc, through which Cyprotex can now offer proprietary high content toxicology assays under the Cellciphr® brand name.  Sygnature have grown organically over the past two years and recently announced the formation of a strategic alliance with Saretius Limited, a pre-clinical experimental services company offering ‘gold standard’ models in pain, CNS disorders, inflammatory and metabolic diseases.  Our experience with Sygnature over the past year has led us both to conclude that we can successfully deliver integrated drug discovery services to our customers, and we wish to strengthen this offering in the future.”

Commenting on the partnership Dr Simon Hirst, Sygnature’s CEO said, “We have found the strategic alliance with Cyprotex to be highly beneficial to our clients over the past two years.  Working with Cyprotex is a key component of our portfolio of pre-clinical services as we have grown and expanded to offer our clients integrated drug discovery services.  Cyprotex has an enviable reputation as a CRO which provides premium ADME-Tox/DMPK services, so I am delighted that we will continue working together for two more years to offer our clients an exceptional, fully-integrated drug discovery service. At Sygnature, we strongly believe that modern drug discovery requires the marriage of medicinal chemistry, biology, in vitro ADME and disease-specific models. Our team of over 50 medicinal chemists are experienced in using ADME data to drive programmes forward into proof-of-concept studies. Over the past four years, Sygnature and Cyprotex have collaborated on a number of drug discovery programmes for clients.  We have a dedicated project manager at Cyprotex focused on our clients’ projects, and scientists from both organisations have established a very close working relationship.  I am confident that future customers will see the benefits of working with Sygnature, Cyprotex and Saretius, acknowledged centres of excellence in their particular fields, to accelerate their drug discovery programmes forward into development.”

Bioscience group to recruit 1-2 experienced bioscientists during Q1 2012.

Sygnature Discovery is experiencing a high demand for its integrated drug discovery services.  Our pharmaceutical industry-experienced team of scientists has been instrumental in fuelling this growth.  As Sygnature grows and evolves in the coming months and years, we are looking to employ additional knowledgeable and enthusiastic individuals to join the company and work in our “state-of-the-art” facility in BioCity Nottingham. The right people will have the opportunity to grow as Sygnature Discovery grows.

Established in August 2011, Sygnature’s Bioscience group is staffed by a team of expert bioscientists, each with 10-20 years of drug discovery experience gained within major pharmaceutical companies.  The Bioscience group develops and runs biochemical and cellular assays utilising industry-standard screening technologies to support medicinal chemistry undertaken at Sygnature Discovery, or elsewhere.  As part of integrated drug discovery projects, complete screening cascades are designed to support Sygnature’s medicinal chemistry activities and provide a quick turnaround of in vitro biological data; as well as value adding selectivity and mechanism studies.

For more information, or to apply for a position in the Bioscience group, please go to: http://www.sygnaturediscovery.com/careers/

5th December 2011 - Sygnature Discovery, a provider of premium integrated drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical industry, has moved into a new purpose-built laboratory and offices.  Laboratory #3 is Sygnature Discovery’s third laboratory and is located on the second floor of the Laurus building in BioCity Nottingham.  Laboratories #1 and #2 are located on the third floor of the same building.

Laboratory #3 has the capacity to house 25 additional medicinal chemists and bioscientists working side-by-side.  This facilitates close scientific interactions and a rapid design, make, test cycle for novel compounds designed and synthesised at Sygnature Discovery for clients.

Sygnature Discovery currently employs over 50 laboratory-based medicinal chemists and bioscientists and this new laboratory offers the potential to increase this capacity to 75 scientists.

Over 75% of Sygnature’s medicinal chemists and bioscientists have PhDs and many have considerable pharmaceutical industry experience gained with companies such as AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Merck and OSI Pharmaceuticals.

More information can be found at: www.sygnaturediscovery.com

Dr Paul Clewlow, SVP Business Development at Sygnature Discovery was recently interviewed by BBC News.  This interview can be seen at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15781592 .

The United Kingdom may be a world leader in pharmaceutical drug discovery, but thousands of research scientists have lost their jobs in the past year due to a major down-sizing in research and development activities being undertaken by major pharmaceutical companies.  The recession and global market changes have caused these companies to move their research operations overseas.  However, from the ashes of research centre closures, such as AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood in Loughborough, new biotech businesses are starting-up and creating jobs and providing reasons for this scientific talent to stay in the East Midlands.

In addition, established drug discovery companies, such as Sygnature Discovery based in BioCity Nottingham, has drawn upon this pool of drug discovery talent to boost their in-house know-how and expertise. During the past year alone, Sygnature Discovery has recruited 12 ex-AstraZeneca medicinal chemists and bioscientists.  Many of these scientists have over 20 years of drug discovery experience.  Hence, Sygnature Discovery is now able to offer its clients integrated drug discovery services to its clients, with particularly in-depth expertise in respiratory diseases, such as COPD and asthma, inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

Nottingham, UK  21^st November 2011 Sygnature Discovery, a leading provider of integrated drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical industry, has today provided an up-date on its new Bioscience group.  The team was established in August 2011 and is already involved in a number of drug discovery activities for clients; including integrated discovery projects and in vitro biology-only projects.

Simon Hirst CEO Sygnature

“Our Bioscience group is now fully-operational and already contributing to Sygnature’s revenue stream,” commented Dr Simon Hirst, Chief Executive Officer.  “We have medicinal chemists and bioscientists working side-by-side in the same laboratory and this is encouraging close scientific interaction and optimal communication.  Having the ability to undertake medicinal chemistry and in vitro biology/screening ‘under one roof’ is already benefiting Sygnature’s clients by facilitating efficient design/make/test cycles during integrated drug discovery projects.  This is so important for delivering successful outcomes to discovery programmes.  Further integrated projects will start in the near future.”

Dr John Unitt, Head of Bioscience at Sygnature Discovery stated, “I am delighted to have joined Sygnature to establish the Bioscience group.  Having gained over 20 years of drug discovery experience at AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood, working on a broad range of projects from target identification to lead optimisation, I am pleased to bring this expertise to Sygnature for the benefit of clients.  With the closure of Charnwood in July 2011, I was able to bring my team of experienced bioscientists with me to Sygnature.  This has meant that we were able to set-up our in vitro biology/screening laboratory quickly and efficiently.  We have the expertise to design complete screening cascades to support Sygnature’s medicinal chemistry activities and utilise industry-standard screening technologies to undertake a wide range of biochemical and cellular assays.  It is an added bonus to be working alongside some former AstraZeneca medicinal chemistry colleagues who joined Sygnature earlier this year.”