« Return to News | Drug Sponsors

AstraZeneca and Conformetrix form collaboration

Monday, April 16, 2012 10:00 AM

Through a newly-formed research collaboration, Conformetrix, a company focused on optimizing drug discovery and design, will apply its proprietary NMR-based technology across AstraZeneca’s pre-clinical therapeutic pipeline to enhance lead discovery and hit identification.

Conformetrix will receive an undisclosed upfront payment from AZ, as well as research funding and potential milestones as certain targets are met. The discovery program will be managed by a joint AstraZeneca-Conformetrix research team.

Conformetrix’s NMR-based technology determines accurate three-dimensional structures—or conformations—of drug molecules in their bioactive states. This is achieved without the need for traditional structural information regarding the protein target of each drug and provides researchers with valuable information on how development-stage compounds are likely to interact with their targets. This new information will likely improve AZ’s efficiency and quality of the lead identification, lead optimization and candidate selection stages of drug discovery programs. AZ will also use the technology to determine the bioactive conformations of naturally occurring ligands as templates for drug library enhancement and hit identification.

“We believe [Contormetrix’s] technology will provide a powerful addition to our hit identification and lead optimization approaches, supporting our strategic objectives to improve the quality and choice of candidate compounds for our early pipeline,” said Mike Snowden, vice president and head of discovery sciences, AZ.

Share:          
CLINICAL TRIAL RESOURCES

Search:

NEWS ONLINE ARCHIVE

Browse by:

CWWeekly

December 17

Medici Global says its Alzheimer's Facebook page demonstrates the need for more early detection trials

Analysts: Expect more equity purchases of CROs in 2013

Already a subscriber?
Log in to your digital subscription.

Subscribe to CWWeekly.

The CenterWatch Monthly

January 2013

Parexel celebrates 30 years of change, growth
CRO's founder and chairman reflects on challenges of the past, present and future

Strategies for increasing patient diversity in trials
Sponsors look to improve racial, ethnic recruitment without going overseas

Already a subscriber?
Log in to your digital subscription.

Purchase the January issue.

Subscribe to The CenterWatch Monthly.

December 2012

Publicity, regulation tightening reins on use of KOLs
Debate rages over need to revamp how sponsors use, pay medical experts

Time may be right to makeover the investigator brochure
Size, complexity prevent critical document from being thoroughly read

Already a subscriber?
Log in to your digital subscription.

Purchase the December issue.

Subscribe to The CenterWatch Monthly.

JobWatch centerwatch.com/jobwatch

Featured Jobs

More Jobs

 

Copyright © 1995-2013 CenterWatch.