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‘Library’ of Nearly 50 De-Prioritized Pharma Compounds Opens to Researchers

Medical Research Council
14 Sept 2016
Alex Waite
Editorial Assistant

Industry news

A collection of 47 deprioritized pharmaceutical compounds and up to £5million is being made available to academic researchers through the latest round of the MRC-Industry Asset Sharing Initiative. The collaboration, between the Medical Research Council (MRC) and six global drug companies, is the largest of its kind in the world.

UK scientists can apply for MRC funding to use any of the compounds in medical research studies to investigate the underlying mechanics of disease, which may lead to the development of more effective treatments for a range of conditions.

Both clinical (those already tested in humans) and preclinical compounds feature in the extensive collection, which includes molecules developed initially for a wide range of diseases including for cancer, ADHD, narcolepsy and diabetes.

AstraZeneca, GSK, Janssen, Pfizer, Takeda and UCB have each offered up a number of their deprioritized molecules as part of the partnership, which was initially launched in 2014.

The compounds are extremely valuable to academic researchers, who can use them to study other diseases. They may even help identify new ways of interrupting the disease process, which could in turn lead to the development of new medicines.

As many of the compounds have already been shown to be suitable for testing in humans, any new treatments arising from the research could reach patients much faster. A project funded through a previous compound sharing partnership between the MRC and AstraZeneca has already reached human trials.

Dr Chris Watkins, director of translational research and industry, said: “The MRC is a world-leader in forging links between industry and universities and academics. Academic partners benefit from working hand in hand with industry counterparts from the earliest stages of research through to the development of new products and treatments.

“The MRC is encouraging other companies, large and small, to join in this innovative MRC collaboration designed to speed up the translation of basic science into real health benefits for patients.”

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Compound LibrariesCompound libraries, or chemical libraries, are used in drug discovery for the identification of potential therapeutics compounds. Used in conjunction with high-throughput screening, the libraries of stored compounds are often generated for specific purposes as a drug target or disease model. Cheminformatics are commonly used when designing a compound library and software can be used to analyze the screening process.  Medicinal ChemistryMedicinal chemistry is a broad discipline encompassing the design, identification, synthesis and development of chemicals in drug discovery. It includes a number of techniques covering structural biology, synthetic chemistry and molecular biology. Technologies used in medicinal chemistry include ADME, lab-on-a-chip, high content screening and assay assembly.Biopharmaceutical AdvancesBiopharmaceutical advances follow the development of pharmaceuticals derived from biotechnology, also known as biotechnology medicines. Biopharmaceuticals may be produced from cell lines, plants, or microbial cells. Important considerations of biopharmaceutical use include application, cost, production process and purification.Clinical TrialsClinical Trials, an essential part of drug discovery process, assess the safety and effectiveness of a new medication or device in the pharmaceutical industry. Clinical Trials are a phased process (Phase 0, Phase I, Phase II, Phase III and Phase IV) which begins after initial preclinical testing.Compound AnalysisCompound analysis is used to discover specific compounds that could be promising candidates for pharmaceutical use. This potential is identified when compounds have the desired effect, such as interaction with a target protein, during high throughput screening.Drug DeliveryDrug Delivery refers to dosage form, route of administration, formulations, technologies, and systems for transporting a pharmaceutical compound in the body as needed to safely achieve its desired therapeutic effect. Drug delivery is often approached via the biopharmaceutical or small molecule drug's formulation, but it may also involve medical devices or drug-device combination products. Considerations include instrumentation, software and services. RegulatoryPharmaceutical regulations impact on all areas of drug development, manufacture and control and supply. Services are provided from the early stages of drug development and clinical trials through to dossier submission, approval and marketing. Regulatory also includes submission of analytical studies from the pharmaceutical product and safety. CollaborationCompound IdentificationMolecular DesignBiopharmaceuticalsBiopharmaceuticals are proteins and other compounds (such as nucleic acids) produced by living organisms that have uses as therapeutics or for in vivo diagnostics. The most well known example of a biopharmaceutical product, and the first to be approved for therapeutic use, was recombinant human insulin.BiotherapeuticsBiotherapeutics are proteins and other compounds (such as nucleic acids) produced by living organisms that have uses as therapeutics or in <i>in vivo</i> diagnostics. The most well-known example of a biotherapeutic product, and the first to be approved for therapeutic use, was recombinant human insulin.Therapeutic Drug Management

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‘Library’ of Nearly 50 De-Prioritized Pharma Compounds Opens to Researchers