Company Directory

Natural product-inspired small molecules for sexual and mental health

Kadence Bio is a clinical-stage biopharma company developing small molecule therapeutics for sexual and mental health. Its lead asset KH-001 is an on-demand oral treatment for premature ejaculation, developed from nature-inspired medicinal chemistry based on kanna plant alkaloids and optimised through standard drug development approaches. KH-001 completed Phase 1 safety studies in 2024 and is progressing to Phase 2 trials. A secondary pipeline targets mood disorders through novel neuropsychiatric compounds.

Small molecule drug discovery targeting rare genetic diseases and oncology

Tay Therapeutics is a drug discovery company developing targeted small molecule therapies for rare genetic diseases and cancer. Its platform uses stop codon read-through technology to restore production of functional proteins disrupted by premature stop codon mutations, with programmes targeting oncology, cystic fibrosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and epidermolysis bullosa. The company previously discovered and out-licensed two BET inhibitor programmes to VYNE Therapeutics, which are advancing in clinical trials for immuno-inflammatory conditions.

Global biopharma with UK manufacturing, commercial and clinical operations

MSD is a global biopharmaceutical company discovering, developing, manufacturing and marketing medicines and vaccines across oncology, infectious disease, immunology, cardiometabolic disease and animal health. Its UK operations span pharmaceutical manufacturing at Cramlington, Northumberland, which supplies medicines into the Merck global network, alongside commercial and clinical development functions headquartered at Moorgate, London, and an Animal Health division based in Milton Keynes. MSD conducts approximately 150 clinical studies in the UK annually.

Global pharma company in immunology, vaccines, and oncology

GSK is a multinational biopharmaceutical company engaged in the research, development, manufacture, and commercialisation of medicines and vaccines. Its pipeline and portfolio span respiratory and immunology, oncology, HIV (through its specialist subsidiary ViiV Healthcare), and infectious diseases including vaccines. The company operates major UK sites including its global R&D hub at Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, manufacturing facilities at Barnard Castle, Ware, and Montrose, and its global headquarters in London's Knowledge Quarter.

Clinical-stage antifungal drug developer targeting invasive fungal infections

F2G is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel antifungal therapies for life-threatening invasive fungal infections. The company discovered the orotomides, a new class of antifungal agents that selectively inhibit fungal dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, a mechanism of action distinct from all approved antifungals. Its lead compound, olorofim, is an oral agent in Phase 3 development for invasive aspergillosis and has received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for multiple indications.

Drug discovery platform targeting biomolecular condensates

Transition Bio is a biotechnology company developing a drug discovery platform based on the biology of biomolecular condensates, the membrane-less cellular structures implicated in a range of diseases. Using droplet microfluidics and machine learning, the company maps and modulates condensate behaviour to identify small-molecule candidates against targets previously considered undruggable. Lead programmes include a collaboration with Voyager Therapeutics targeting TDP-43 in ALS and frontotemporal dementia, and an internal oncology programme targeting MYC-driven cancers.

Brain-inspired AI platform for multi-target drug discovery

Symbiotic.blue is a pre-seed biotech company developing an AI-driven drug discovery platform that combines generative AI with neuroscience-inspired computational methods. The platform aims to design molecules capable of acting on multiple biological targets simultaneously, with an initial focus on obesity. The company was founded by academics from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge alongside life sciences industry veterans.

Preventing cancer therapy side effects with topical medicines

VasoDynamics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical development company focused on preventing the debilitating side effects of cancer therapy. The company develops topical formulations targeting radiation-induced oral mucositis, dermatitis, and chemotherapy-induced hair loss, using vasoconstrictor and radioprotective compounds. Its technology platform, based on IP licensed from leading UK and US research institutions, has progressed through Phase Ib and Phase IIa clinical trials. VasoDynamics serves oncology patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Human iPSC platform for neurodegenerative disease drug discovery

Talisman Therapeutics is a drug discovery company specialising in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of neurodegenerative disease. The company operates both an internal discovery pipeline, focused on Alzheimer's disease targets including lysosome biology, pathogenic protein reduction and microglial health, and an external collaboration programme. Talisman's iPSC-derived neural cell models are designed to improve the relevance and predictivity of early-stage compound screening.

CRO specialising in oncology, inflammation and respiratory disease models

Axis Bioservices is a preclinical contract research organisation providing bespoke in vitro and in vivo study services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and academic clients. Specialist capabilities span oncology tumour models, inflammatory disease models including rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary fibrosis, and respiratory disease models for conditions such as COPD and asthma. Services cover efficacy, mechanistic, and pharmacokinetic studies tailored to individual drug development programmes.

Fibroblast immunology platform targeting cancer and inflammatory disease

Mestag Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing first-in-class antibody therapies targeting activated fibroblasts to modulate immune responses in cancer and inflammatory disease. Its lead programme, MST-0312, is a bispecific antibody designed to induce tertiary lymphoid structures in solid tumours to drive anti-tumour immunity. A second programme targets a stromal inhibitory receptor to address inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, and lupus.

Clinical-stage CNS drug discovery using human brain genomics

Cerevance is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing small molecule therapeutics for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. The company uses its proprietary platform to profile gene expression in specific neuronal and glial cell types from a collection of over 16,000 annotated human brain tissue samples, identifying novel drug targets. Combined with machine learning analysis, this approach supports a pipeline of CNS therapeutics targeting conditions including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and ALS.