Proximity to Discovery 2014 - University of Dundee
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Dundee
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
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Technical Summary
The MRC Proximity to Discovery scheme awards universities funds to help develop new collaborations, and ways of exchanging knowledge and skills. The awards can be used to support activities that promote the value of academic-industry partnership, and enhance academic and industry researchers’ understanding of each other’s needs and capabilities. This may be through people exchanges, creation of technology demonstrators, showcase events, commercialisation workshops and ‘entrepreneurs in residence’ schemes. Such exchanges of knowledge and skills will boost the most fruitful collaborations between UK universities and life science companies.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Description | Pathfinder |
| Amount | £140 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
| Department | Wellcome Trust Bloomsbury Centre |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | Collaboration Agreement with Leo Pharma |
| Organisation | LEO Pharma (including subsidiary Peplin Ltd) |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | A research collaboration agreement has been concluded with Leo Pharma and a joint advisory board established between the 2 parties. The DDU has presented projects being developed by the DDU has Leo Pharma has presented a number of projects that they would wish to forma collaboration round. One of this projects is now in development and an application submitted the MRC DPFS. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Leo Pharma has provided invaluable advice of the Dundee's dermatology portfolio including advice of target product profiles and formulation. Leo has also provided target validation data in support of a project that we wish to collaborate on. |
| Impact | Application to MRC DPRP approved at stage 1 with a full application to be submitted by 15th March |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Investment Partnership Agreement |
| Organisation | Perceptive Bioscience Holdings Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The University has signed an Investment Partnership Agreement with Perceptive that will allow the DDU to further translate programmes developed with MRC CiC funding up to preclinical candidates. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Perceptive will underwrite the CURE Fund for up to 10 years. |
| Impact | The investment sum will be disclosed later in the year. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | MKK4 Research Collaboration |
| Organisation | University Hospital Erlangen |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Hospitals |
| PI Contribution | Following a visit from Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund who were looking to fund a new company in Germany we were introduced to a group based in the University Hospital Tuebingen. The group had developed some novel biology around the role of MKK4 in liver regeneration but did not have any good chemical matter to start a drug discovery programme. The DDU initiated a collaboration with the University Hospital Tuebingen to develop a new assay and screen against MKK4. The University Hospital Tuebingen had an option to use the data to help the formation of a new company but with Dundee having rights to the data if the company was not formed. In the collaboration the UHT supplied the protein and transferred their assay. Dundee developed a new assay and performed a diversity screen. UHD will be given access to tool molecules. |
| Collaborator Contribution | In the collaboration the UHT supplied the protein and transferred their assay. UHD will also run Dundee tool molecules in thei biology systems. |
| Impact | UHT have now established Heparegenix based on the research from UHT adn the data produced by Dundee. A research agreement is now in place between Heparegenix and Dundee whereby Heparegenix will acquire sole rights to the Dundee data for a fee of £154,000 from their first funding round due to complete in Spring 2016. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Open innovation (AZ-OGA) |
| Organisation | AstraZeneca |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The University of Dundee will use their OGA assay platform to screen the AZ compound libraries in order to identify new classes of OGA inhibitor. If suitable compounds are identified The University of Dundee will conduct structural biology, Medicinal chemistry and associated drug discovery activities to develop the hit compounds toward in vivo leads. |
| Collaborator Contribution | AZ will provide access to AZ screening facilities and will provide access to proprietary compound libraries. |
| Impact | Project in early stages and no outputs generated to date. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Research Collaboration Agreement with AstraZeneca |
| Organisation | AstraZeneca |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Dundee presented a drug target that had been screened in the DDU in 2013. Confirmed hits were optimised but not further developable. We discussed with AZ a desire to screen against a different library to look for new start points |
| Collaborator Contribution | AZ have provided diversity and fragment libraries to Dundee |
| Impact | A new diversity screen will be completed q1 2017 |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Research Collaboration Agreement with BI and University of Berlin |
| Organisation | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Department | Animal Health |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The DDU hosted a postdoc for 6 months and contributed overheads, consumables and staff time |
| Collaborator Contribution | BI funded the salary cost for the postdoc |
| Impact | New assays developed for parasitic diseases in animals |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Title | HepaRegeniX exercise option to acquire DDU compounds |
| Description | the DDU performed assay development and screening in collaboration with newco HepaRegeniX. In 2016 HepaRegeniX exercised an option to acquire sole ownership of the research data and paid an option fee of £165,900 |
| IP Reference | |
| Protection | Protection not required |
| Year Protection Granted | 2016 |
| Licensed | Yes |
| Impact | Income of £165,900 to the University of Dundee |
| Company Name | HepaRegeniX GmbH |
| Description | HepaRegeniX is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and clinical testing of selective and potent MKK4 inhibitors for liver disease and human tissue regeneration. The company, spun out of the University of Tubingen, was registered in January 2016 and has signed a collaboration with the DDU in Dundee where we have developed an screening assay for MKK4 and completed a diversity screen. The group in Germany was introduced to us through Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund who were looking for Dundee input to the technology before they committed to funding a spinout. |
| Year Established | 2016 |
| Impact | Heparegenix currently only has a handfull of employees but is expected to have 20 by the year end when full funding has been secured. Dundee will be awarded £154,000 to acquire sole ownership of the Dundee MKK4 data. |
| Website | http://www.recently-registered.com/www/heparegenix.com |
| Description | Archangels Investment Group visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | three representatives of Archangel Investment Group visited the School of Life Sciences and were presented with 4 commercial opportunities. One of those is now in the process of company creation and is still in dialogue with the Archangels |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Astex Therapeutics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Following initial contact at BioEurope in November 2015 Alexion visited the DDU and School of Life Sciences. A collaboration agreement is under discussion with Dr Miratul Muqit regarding a Parkinson's project. Astex will hire the post doc under their Sustaining Innovation Postdoctoral research programme. It will be a collaborative appointment between Astex and Miratul's lab. The post doc will be based at Astex initially with travel to Dundee and the potential for a relocation to Dundee in the latter stages of the project. The agreement will be concluded once the post doc has been recruited. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | BioEurope |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at BioEurope in November 2015. One to one meetings were held with 22 companies and 16 institutes seeking to bring new research collaborations into the DDU and to seek potential license partners for DDU projects. A key impact from these meetings was 7 letters of indystry support for a funding application to MRC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope/ |
| Description | BioTrinity |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Attendance at BioTrinity BioPartnering Conference in May 2015 to rais ethe profile of the Drug Discovery Unit with potential industry partners and fudning bodies. One to one meetings took place with the British Heart Foundation and led to a collaborative application to the BHF Translational Awards Scheme; the Universities of Belfast and Oxford regardig collaboration opportunities and 11 possible indutry collaborators. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.biotrinity.com |
| Description | DDU @ 10 conference hosted at Dundee |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Dundee hosted a 3-day conference event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the DDU. The event was by invitation externally and open to the investigators from the University of Dundee. Delegates included industry, academia, funding bodies and government ministers and associated organisations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.dundee.ac.uk/news/2016/global-experts-celebrate-10th-anniversary-of-drug-discovery-unit.... |
| Description | ELRIG |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The DDU exhibited at ELRIG Drug Discovery Event in Septmeber 2015 in order to raise the profile of the DDU with potential industry and academic partners. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://elrig.org/portfolio/drug-discovery-2015/ |
| Description | Eli Lilly and Epidarex visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A delegation form Eli Lilly and Epidarex visited the School of Life Sciences and DDU meet PI's and discuss potential collaboration opportunities. With on going dialogue the DDU has entered into a CDA with Eli Lilly and is reviewing a collaboration opportunity |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Eurofins visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A senior delegation from Eurofins visited in July 2017. The Dundee site has down sized and the company is looking for interactions with local industry and academia. The visit was coordinated by Scottish Enterprise |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Leo Pharma visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | $ senior delegates from Leo Pharma visited the DDU in January 2016 to discuss possible collaboration opportunities. This visit was a follow on from initial contact made at BioEurope in November 2015. Discussion has now started building toward a collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Merck interest in oncology target |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Merck visited the DDU with an interest in our Fan1 project in collaboration with Professor John Rouse. They have their own in-house programme and were information gathering rather than looking to partner |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Professor Steve Caddick visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Professor Steven Caddick, Wellcome Trust Governor visited the Drug Discovery Unit in Spetember 2015 and gave advice on our CURE Funding model and expansion plans. We discussed the potential for Wellcome Trust funding to support our Innovative Targets Portfolio to support a pipeline of projects enetering in to the more commercially focused CURE Fund. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Roche visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Visit from a delegation from Roche to discuss potential collaboration opportunities with the DDU. Follow up discussions are on going with a research collaboration under negotiation |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | UCB Pharma visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The DDU hosted a visit in August to further develop their interest in the CURE Fund and wider collaboration potential with Dundee's proteomics facility. UCB is looking to develop their capabilities in proteomics and may be looking for strategic out-source partners. An initial project has been submitted to Dundee as a first step towards a more strategic partnership. The next step in the development of CURE is to identify targets of interest to UCB in the areas of bone diseases and inflammatory diseases. We are currently reviewing two targets identified by UCB in relation to bone disease; HIPK" and YSK4, and are in dialogue with Professor Paul Crocker in Dundee about new siglec targets that may have implications in bone disease. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
| Description | Visit form J&JI |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | J&JI recruited a new medicinal chemist who subsequently visited the DDU. J&J has reviewed 2 DDU projects under CDA but no further action taken |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Visit from Alexion |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Following an initial meeting at Bio International in June 2014 Alexion visited the DDU to discuss possible collaboration opportunities. They were interested in a project that was already partnered. Tis project has now been released so follow up discussion is planned. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Visit from BI Animal Health |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | BI is looking to build its animal health capabilities in small molecules and has recruited Dr Paul Selzer to develop the strategy and identify possible strategic partners. Following a visit to the DDU in March we have been working to build a model for collaboration. This will likely lead to the DDU doing some early assay development and feasibility work this year to establish the relationship further. The expectation is that activity will ramp up during 2016 into a full strategic collaboration between the DDU, BI Animal Health and the University of Berlin in 2017. This is just about to begin with the DDU hosting a visitor from University of Berlin funded by BI for 6 months. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Visit from Carrick Therapeutics |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Carrick Therapeutics is a new oncology focused venture started by a team that has exited from Eli Lilly. The DDU has two oncology programmes currently progressing with CiC funding that will be seeking a partner in the coming months to either partner the project directly or to support a DPFS application. We hosted two senior representatives from Carrick Therapeutics in June and have arranged to follow up regarding two projects that have benefitted from CiC funding; RNF4 and Fan1. Carrick are keen to work with Sonia Roche on some of their compounds. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Visit from Professor Paul Hagan, SFC Director of Research and Innovation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Professor Paul Hagan visited the DDU for an update on our fundi raising activities for the CURE Fund and to discuss support from SFC to wards the pre-CURE research activities. The SFC had commited £2M towards pre-CURE research if the Fund was raised by the end of 2014. Discussions are on-going regarding SFC commitment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Visit from Roche |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Roche has recently recruited a Senior Academic Relations Manager who is covering Europe. The DDU hosted a visit in August where there was considerable interest in the capabilities of the DDU and more widely across the School of Life Sciences. The next step is to arrange for a senior delegation from Basel to visit Dundee in the near future, with dates to be confirmed. Roche have expressed an interest in the CURE Fund and also looking at wider collaboration potential. A follow up call was held to discuss possible partnering of a DDU project, however it was considered too ealry stage for Roche. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Visit from Sanofi |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Sanofi is interested in the CURE Fund that is currently being marketed by the DDU (and described in the Proximity to Discovery Application). Two senior company representatives visited the DDU for a day in August and are building a case within the organisation to develop a working partnership with the DDU. In order to develop the relationship further we are currently scouting for innovative target biology in line with specific therapeutic areas of interest to Sanofi. These include metabolic, rare and infectious diseases. Sanofi is also very supportive of the DDU's strategy to build an Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) Portfolio and have provided a letter of support for the DDU's application to the AMR Cross-Council Initiative Theme 2 Collaboration Grant Call, which has recently been selected to proceed to a full application. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Visit from Syncona Partners |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Martin Murphy and Tim Funnell visitied the University of Dundee to give the Drug Discovery advice on our business model and Fund raising and to review research activities in the University with commercial potential. There was follow up dialogues with Professor Irwin McLean regarding his genetic skin diseases research but no investment offer. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Vists from Shona Robison MSP |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Shona Ribison MSP visited the DDU and National Phenotypic Screening Centre in June 2015 as part of an exercise to showcase the strength of academic drug discovery in Dundee. The Scottish Partliament has an interest is supporting academic discovery and Ms Robison was keen to pass information on the Dundee facilities back to this group and Scottish Enterprise. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.drugdiscovery.dundee.ac.uk/about-us/news/shona-robison-msp-cabinet-secretary-health-wellb... |