BioFocus Collaborates with Cresset to Develop Compound Libraries

BioFocus, Galapagos' services division has announced that is has formed an alliance with Cresset BioMolecular Discovery Limited to develop a new range of compound libraries.
 
BioFocus is developing the range of "FieldFocus™" compounds based on Cresset's molecular fields software.

BioFocus also has an option to license the technology for medicinal chemistry projects for itself and third parties.

While conventional modelling approaches rely on the atom and bond representations of compounds, Cresset's FieldTemplater™ method of molecular field modelling identifies the molecular field of the 3-dimensional conformation of a compound. 

This is designed to provide a "protein's view" of the key molecular features required for biological activity. 

Using molecular field patterns to compare molecules enables a structure-independent method of identifying chemical classes that can take a project into new intellectual property space. 

BioFocus claims that, this technology is valuable for certain classes of receptors such as GPCR and ion channels, which are valued by the pharmaceutical industry but which lack sufficient X-ray crystallographic structures to allow easy molecular design.
 
"By combining Cresset's and BioFocus' computational expertise, BioFocus is expanding its range of targeted compound libraries for high-value drug targets such as GPCRs and ion channels," said Chris Newton, Senior Vice-President BioFocus. 

"We are excited to implement Cresset's cutting-edge Field technology and are confident that these novel libraries and technologies will help to accelerate our customers' drug discovery programs." 
 
Beatrice Leigh, CEO of Cresset, commented, "We are delighted to be collaborating with BioFocus on the development of a new range of targeted compound libraries."

"BioFocus has an outstanding, global reputation for the high quality of the compounds in their libraries and the excellence of their design process based on in depth medicinal chemistry experience and novelty."

"We are looking forward to working with them to create some truly innovative libraries for effective drug discovery."