Reprocell to boost drug development in UK biotechs

A Glasgow-based human tissue research company has partnered with Medicines Discovery Catapult to help accelerate drug development at UK biotechnology firms.

Reprocell can provide live human tissue which is able to predict how drugs will behave in patients. Picture: Contributed

Reprocell, which supports stem cell research and pre-clinical drug trials, can provide live human tissue which is able to predict how drugs will behave in patients and whether they are likely to succeed in clinical trials.

The Glasgow site, the European arm of the Japanese Reprocell group, will join the drug discovery agency’s virtual research and development platform, offering its services to a national network of consultants, private sector research organisations and public sector centres of excellence in medicines discovery.

Chief executive David Bunton said: “We are excited to be part of a select group of companies developing innovative approaches to drug discovery. We hope that our combined services will accelerate drug development to the benefit of many UK biotechs.”

Chief operating officer Karen Bingham added: “Ethically-sourced human tissue samples are such an important resource for the prediction of efficacy and safety of novel drug compounds and are becoming increasingly important in the area of precision medicine.

“It’s crucial that the NHS, industry and academia work together through collaborations such as Medicines Discovery Catapult in order to maximise use of this precious resource.”