Analytical laboratory and natural products research laboratory join forces to provide fast-track natural product drug discovery service from Europe's most comprehensive fungal libraries
LGC, an independent analytical laboratory providing advanced chemical, biochemical and forensic analysis, has formed a strategic alliance with BioDiversity, an independent natural products research laboratory, to offer effective, fast-track drug discovery services that will advance clients' screening programmes.
Natural products are a proven source of blockbuster drugs: 60% of drugs currently on the market have been derived from natural products.
They are especially appropriate for lead discovery in pain control, anti-tumour and anti-infective drug discovery programmes, and as novel starting points for combinatorial libraries.
By bringing together BioDiversity's microbiological expertise with LGC's comprehensive range of bioanalytical capabilities, the alliance will deliver a new breadth and depth of drug discovery services to the pharmaceutical, life science and agrochemical sectors. BioDiversity holds a collection of fungi that includes rarely collected symbionts and traditionally important medicinal fungi. It has developed proprietary fermentation technologies that allow precise manipulation and control of secondary metabolism and maintenance of species integrity.
The libraries are generated using proprietary technology that enhances assay performance.
In partnership with LGC, these libraries will benefit from leading-edge analytical practices in advanced mass spectrometry and affinity-based separations, enabling clients to prioritise library hits and progress these quickly and efficiently to lead compound status.
Derek Craston, head of LGC's pharmaceutical services division, said: "I am very impressed with the international credentials of the team at BioDiversity.
"This alliance means customers can tap into world class expertise in the search for effective compounds that are active to their specific biological targets.
"Following initial lead identification, LGC's team of natural product chemists can design synthetic routes and devise compounds in the quantities required by lead optimisation analysis programmes.
"Our established ADME-Tox unit can then provide the necessary lead optimisation through secondary screening services.
"The alliance with BioDiversity means clients can effectively enjoy a partnership that will offer the very best in terms of true specialist expertise and experience to help realise the drug lead potential of these natural products right up to the point of pre-clinical trials".
Neil Porter, managing director of BioDiversity, said: "This collaboration opens up exciting new opportunities for lead discovery from natural sources. "LGC has state-of-the-art facilities and expertise in chemical separations and mass spectrometry analysis and is a uniquely positioned service provider in the UK.
"We are delighted to be working with such a highly motivated and professional team of people.
"By combining LGC's analytical know-how with BioDiversity's expertise in natural products we can fast-track the selection and identification of leads emerging from our clients' screening programmes. "By combining our strengths and skills we create a new level of potential for the discovery of new chemical entities."
