AstraZeneca and Pharmaron inked a drug discovery partnership through which the latter will provide a range of chemistry, drug metabolism, and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) services, as well as efficacy screening services to support AstraZeneca’s innovative medicines (iMed) units. The work will be carried out by Pharmaron’s scientists at research laboratories at its drug discovery service center in Beijing, which was opened last year.
“We are pleased to enter this strategic partnership with Pharmaron, which we believe will help us progress projects through our R&D pipeline more efficiently,” notes Manos Perros, head of infection iMed at AstraZeneca. “Pharmaron scientists will be integrated into our project teams.”
Established in 2003, Pharmaron offers R&D services across a number of disciplines including chemistry, biology, DMPK, in vivo pharmacology, toxicology, and chemical development. The firm has nearly 2,000 employees and operations in China and the U.S. The firm’s campus in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area (BDA) also serves as the home for Merck Serono’s China R&D Laboratory. Pharmaron closed a $40 million Series C financing round in 2011 to strengthen and expand its drug discovery services offerings, preclinical GLP toxicology capabilities, and GMP chemical synthesis services.
