Ubiquigent and Dundee to Develop Targeted Compound Libraries

Ubiquigent Ltd is collaborating with the Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) of the University of Dundee to develop and market targeted compound libraries aimed at discovering potent and selective therapeutics across multiple areas including; cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, neurological and musculoskeletal and infection and immunity.

Under the terms of the agreement the partners will design, develop and characterise small molecule compound libraries targeting the intracellular proteins of the ubiquitin system which Ubiquigent will market to its customers as research tools, enabling and supporting their drug discovery programmes.

The company has appointed Dr Mark Treherne as Chairman of the Board to drive the new collaborative business opportunities. Previously a non-executive Director on the Ubiquigent Board, he has been instrumental in initiating kinase drug discovery in both pharmaceutical and integrated contract research companies.

Dr Jason Brown, Managing Director of Ubiquigent, said: “We are very pleased to be working with a highly regarded university-based unit that is expert at developing medicinal chemistry solutions to novel targets. The collaboration supports Ubiquigent’s goal of being the first, fully integrated provider of biology, assays, small molecule libraries and compound profiling services in the ubiquitin signalling system field. As such, we are well placed to help our pharma and biotech partners accelerate access to the field and support their ongoing programmes.”

Professor Paul Wyatt, Head of the DDU, added: “Ubiquitin-system drug discovery holds great promise and we are excited to be working with Ubiquigent to develop compound libraries which hold the potential to deliver wide reaching therapeutic benefit. The initiative provides an ideal opportunity to combine the DDU’s strength in medicinal chemistry with the technical and commercial expertise provided by the team at Ubiquigent.”