Sygnature Discovery and RenaSci strengthen in vivo pharmacology service-offering

Sygnature Discovery, a leading drug discovery and pre-clinical services company, have appointed Dr Nick Moore as Senior Director, Business Development, in a newly-created role to promote the in vivo pharmacology and consultancy services offered by RenaSci, a wholly-owned subsidiary company.

Dr Moore is an internationally recognised drug discovery and development specialist who has spent nearly 40 years working in the field of in vivo pharmacology. Previous roles include research appointments at Eli Lilly, Lundbeck Research USA, and Albany Molecular Research Inc. (AMRI), and business development positions at Brains On-Line and Charles River Laboratories. He earned his PhD in neuropharmacology from the University of Birmingham and career highlights include a key involvement in the development of Lilly’s anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa (olanzapine).

One of Dr Moore’s key tasks will be to ensure that the synergistic in vitro and in vivo services and drug discovery expertise offered by Sygnature Discovery and RenaSci are maximised for the benefit of clients. “I plan to focus on growing the in vivo pharmacology business and ensure that both current and new customers are aware of the expanded service-offering that the wider Sygnature Group is now able to provide”, Dr Moore said.

“Nick is a very experienced drug discovery scientist who brings a huge amount of in vivo pharmacology know-how and proficiency into the business,” said Dr Paul Clewlow, Sygnature Discovery’s Senior Vice President, Business Development and a member of the Board at Sygnature and RenaSci. “I am pleased that Nick has joined my team as he will work closely with colleagues at RenaSci and Sygnature to convey the enhanced capabilities and expertise we offer to clients and identify new in vivo pharmacology capabilities that will complement and augment our current integrated offering.”

RenaSci, founded in 2001, became part of the Sygnature Group in July 2018 following several successful project collaborations with joint clients. Sygnature and RenaSci were amongst the first companies to be established at BioCity Nottingham, the R&D site where Boots Pharmaceuticals discovered ibuprofen. The strategic acquisition of RenaSci by Sygnature stemmed from a long-standing mutual respect between the organisations and the firm belief by Sygnature that combining the two companies would be beneficial not only to their customers, but ultimately to patients with considerable unmet medical need in abuse and dependence, CNS disorders, obesity, diabetes, NASH and kidney disease.

“We realised that RenaSci and Sygnature Discovery were highly-complementary businesses because we have a strong shared focus on high-quality science and delivering new and efficacious drugs to patients,” said Dr Sharon Cheetham, Assistant Professor and Executive Director at RenaSci. “I am delighted to welcome Nick to the Group and we look forward to working with him to expand our business and better serve our clients in the drug discovery and pre-clinical sector.”

About Sygnature Discovery
Sygnature Discovery is a leading independent integrated drug discovery and pre-clinical services company. Private equity-backed since 2017, we operate fully enabled research facilities in Nottingham and Alderley Park, UK, housing over 200 research scientists (over 80% with PhDs). Our experienced drug hunters possess all the professional skills and know-how required to undertake the most demanding of research programmes and drive them from target validation through hit identification, hit-to-lead and lead optimisation to pre-clinical development candidate. Since 2011, we have delivered 14 drug candidates to our clients which have subsequently entered the clinic (Phases I, II and III). In 2017, Sygnature Discovery received the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.

About RenaSci
RenaSci provides an integrated blend of consultancy and experimental services to clients from all sectors of the pharmaceutical and biotech industry to help maximise research productivity and streamline drug development. Since the company was established in 2001, they have specialised in CNS, metabolic disorders, NASH, kidney disease and abuse/dependence testing; core areas of expertise where they have facilitated more than 30 NCE’s into clinical development and 10 drugs to the market. In July 2018 RenaSci was acquired to become part of the Sygnature Group of Companies.

For further information, visit: www.sygnaturediscovery.com or email: a.lindstrom@sygnaturediscovery.com