C4X Discovery: generating market-leading drug candidates from cutting-edge technology

    Impact: Economic, Technological

    Narrative

    Researchers at The University of Manchester invented technology that expedites drug discovery by measuring the bioactive shapes of small molecules with unprecedented accuracy using nuclear magnetic resonance. The technology, assigned to spin-out C4XDiscovery, was used to successfully initiate several novel drug programmes, which led to the company raising GBP31,000,000 via a flotation on the London Stock Exchange. Its lead programme aims to treat addiction across a broad range of substance use disorders, which is an area of unmet need costing the US USD1,000,000,000,000 annually, by targeting the craving process itself. The technology delivered drug candidates for this programme in a fraction of the time compared with traditional pharmaceutical methodologies, with substantially lower toxicity and side-effects and saving 90% of the typical USD1,000,000,000 pre-clinical cost. The programme entered clinical development in 2018 via a USD294,000,000 licencing deal with Indivior PLC.
    Impact date1 Aug 2013 → 31 Jul 2020
    Category of impactEconomic, Technological
    Impact levelAdoption

    Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

    • Biotechnology

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