Pfizer and UCB partner to new company to accelerate drug discovery

Pfizer and UCB have established a breakthrough company designed to significantly accelerate the drug discovery process.

The new company Cyclofluidic aims to allow researchers to test a greater range of potential new medicines in a shorter time. The UK Government's Technology Strategy Board has helped facilitate this arrangement and will continue to support Cyclofluidic by co-funding its r&d. The board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government.

The aim of Cyclofluidic is to develop technologies that automate and integrate processes known as flow chemistry and flow biology to help pharmaceutical companies shorten timelines within the drug development process.

Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board, said: "Our role is to stimulate the development and deployment of technologies which, as well as benefiting society, also provide global business opportunities for the UK. Cyclofluidic is an excellent example of the private and public sectors working together to develop world-leading technologies, which have the potential to bring enormous benefit to patients in the UK and around the world. We are delighted to offer our support and investment."

Dr Neil Weir, senior vice president research at UCB. "Cyclofluidic's entry into the rapidly evolving microfluidic technology area has the potential to radically transform the medicinal chemistry and biology interface.

"It's an exciting opportunity for UCB and Pfizer to collaborate and offers real potential for improved productivity, underlining our commitment to innovation for patients."

Currently, it takes between 12-15 years and a cost of up to £500m to develop a new medicine. One of the most time-intensive and skilful parts of pharmaceutical research is the screening of potential medicines against therapeutic targets.

Cyclofluidic will develop a microfluidic closed loop lead optimisation platform, which will enable researchers to access state of the art expertise in flow chemistry, flow screening and microfluidic engineering. This will be addressed through extensive collaboration with key academics and component manufacturers.

Cyclofluidic will also provide training for both flow chemistry and biology scientists at its facility, to be located in the South of England.