MRC Scientists Form New Therapeutics Spin Out, UK

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 10 Aug 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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Scientists working at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology have founded a spin-out company called Heptares Therapeutics Ltd that aims to design and develop new drugs to tackle diseases involving the nervous system and metabolism. The company will focus on structural studies of a family of proteins present in the cell membrane called G-protein coupled receptors - already an established drug target family.

The pioneering work of LMB scientists Richard Henderson and Chris Tate enabled them to found the company together with Malcolm Weir (Chief Executive Officer) and Fiona Marshall (Chief Scientific Officer). A wider group of MRC scientists, including Gebhard Schertler, and Ed Hulme of the National Institute for Medical research, Mill Hill, London also contributed their expertise. John Berriman is Chairman, and Heptares will be based at Mill Hill in London.

The new drug discovery company has received seed funding from the venture capital firm MVM Life Sciences Partners LLP. Dr Martin Murphy of MVM said:

''Investing in early-stage biotechnologies carries a high risk and so we make relatively few such investments. However, it is clear that if Heptares' technologies can be successfully industrialised as a consequence of our seed-funding, the company has the potential to create the kind of high value necessary to balance such risks".

"The MRC aims to turn basic, long-term research such as this into healthcare that improves human health. A start-up company with first class investors, management and founding scientists like this is one of the ways we can achieve this goal. We're hopeful Heptares will pay dividends to the UK in the future both in terms of economic value but also in tackling disease," said Mike Dalrymple, Acting CEO of MRC Technology.

In a further development, MRC Technology (MRCT) has signed an antibody development agreement with the company Organon, to develop a humanised antibody for use in cancer treatment. The mouse version of the antibody and its cancer-fighting properties were discovered at Organon's research centre in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The agreement will use the MRCT Therapeutic Antibody Group's long-standing expertise in generating versions of antibodies that are suitable to be used in people.

David Nicholson, Organon Executive Vice President of Global Research and Development said:

"Organon has been stepping up its efforts to discover and develop novel bio-therapeutics for oncology and auto-immune disorders. The collaboration with MRCT on its well-validated antibody humanisation technology is a further step towards becoming effective bio-therapeutic drug hunters."

http://www.mrc.ac.uk