Our Approach to Discovery and Development
We have assembled a comprehensive, integrated and effective approach to ion channel drug discovery that is allowing us to exploit multiple opportunities. Our key competitive advantage is our integrated, proprietary discovery platform that allows us to develop novel drug candidates by generating key functional (i.e. electrophysiological) data early in the discovery process and employing this data to accelerate medicinal chemistry and lead optimisation. We have assembled a high quality, ion channel-focused, compound library and chemoinformatic database (“XENBASE”) that permits the development of new pharmacophores making use of high quality electrophysiology data. This approach offers significant advantages during the optimisation and development of selective ion channel drugs. Thus, our approach utilises automated electrophysiology, ion channel-focused compound libraries and chemoinformatics operated seamlessly by experienced biologists and chemists.
In addition to our expertise in discovery, we also have an established development group guiding our clinical programmes to the point of proof of concept in man. Understanding the ion channel mechanism of our development compounds and the potential clinical development issues surrounding ion channel modulation allows us to de-risk compounds at an early stage in development.