Galapagos’ service division BioFocus and Ono Pharmaceutical have signed a new collaboration agreement focused on discovering novel drugs for CNS disorders. BioFocus will use its drug discovery platform to deliver leads and clinical candidates.

“We are delighted to have this new agreement, which is the first drug discovery program with this, a most valued, client,” said Dr. Chris Newton, SVP Galapagos Services and managing director of BioFocus.

“This collaboration will strengthen Ono’s drug discovery capability in the field of CNS disorders with significant unmet medical needs, and we are expecting innovative drugs will be created,” said Kazuhito Kawabata, Ph.D., director, executive officer and executive director of discovery and research at Ono.

Founded in 1997, BioFocus provides integrated drug discovery that delivers pre-clinical drug candidates in all therapeutic areas with strong capability in neurodegenerative diseases, inflammatory diseases and a growing track record of delivering candidates against rare and neglected diseases. It employs over 250 scientists at its three research centers in the U.K., Switzerland and The Netherlands.

Galapagos is a mid-sized clinical stage biotechnology company specialized in the discovery and development of small molecule and antibody therapies with novel modes-of-action. It is progressing its pipeline with four programs in development and over 30 discovery programs, about 800 employees and facilities in six countries, with global headquarters in Mechelen, Belgium.

Ono is an R&D-oriented global specialty pharmaceutical firm, engaged in drug discovery research based on accumulated technologies and know-how—in areas where its strengths can be fully exploited (i.e. bioactive lipid agonists and enzyme inhibitors such as proteases and kinases). In addition, modulators of membrane transport systems such as ion-channels and transporters, as well as biotechnology-based medicines, are also areas of focus.