Drug Discovery and Development
There are at present some 135 biotech/pharma companies in London. These include those directly involved in drug discovery and development, contract research/manufacturing organisations (CROs/CMOs), suppliers, bio-/chemo-informatics firms, and drug delivery, platform technology, and diagnostics companies (Fig. 1).
Not included in the present BioGuide are medical device and medical imaging companies which will comprise phase II of the BioGuide Project.
Under diagnostics, we have included only those involved in the development of rapid in-vitro diagnostics/point-of-care products, and not those related to diagnostic imaging or laboratories providing diagnostic services. Only service companies directly involved in laboratory-based, pre-clinical studies of drug candidates, and those involved in testing them in humans, were included under CROs. Companies that have moved elsewhere, but were historically spin-out companies of London universities and research institutes (with whom they continue to have strong links), were also counted as part of London.
Many therapeutics companies have R&D and/or clinical development programmes in multiple disease categories, with Oncology, CNS/Neurology and Cardiovascular/Metabolic Diseases the most heavily invested areas (see Fig. 2 and clickable links next to Fig. 2). In the last 2 years, London companies have figured prominently in some of the most lucrative partnership deals in industry, notably those of Antisoma with Novartis and Silence Therapeutics with Astra Zeneca. As well, some of London's excellent companies had been acquired by the big players: Arrow Therapeutics by Astra Zeneca, PIramed by Roche, and Thiakis by Wyeth (now part of Pfizer). BTG and Protherics have also merged to become one of the UK's largest biotech companies. Opportunities for partnerships, in-licensing and out-licensing exist in many companies across all therapeutic categories.
Biopharma companies by main business focus (Figure 1)
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Total |
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Therapeutics
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67
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Platform/Drug delivery
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20
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CRO/CMO
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22
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Suppliers and other services
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13
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Bio/chemoinformatics
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4
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Diagnostics/Theranostics
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10
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Therapeutics companies by disease areas of focus (Figure 2)