Company Directory

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.

Oral and injectable peptide therapies for obesity and cardiometabolic disease

Verdiva Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation oral and injectable treatments for obesity and cardiometabolic disorders. Its pipeline centres on rationally engineered peptide candidates acting on GLP-1 and amylin receptors, advanced through a proprietary oral absorption technology designed to enable once-weekly dosing. The lead programme is in Phase 2b clinical development, with earlier-stage amylin candidates in preclinical development for monotherapy and combination use.

Oncology biotech developing peptide therapeutics and diagnostics

ValiRx is a UK-listed biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of oncology therapeutics and companion diagnostics. The company selects and incubates novel drug candidates, including peptide-based compounds targeting prostate cancer, endometriosis, and other solid tumours, progressing them from preclinical evaluation towards clinical development and partnering. Through its subsidiary Inaphaea BioLabs, ValiRx also offers translational drug discovery services, including cell-based assays and patient-derived cell models, to academic and industry researchers.

Peptide discovery platform targeting cell-surface therapeutic targets

Orbit Discovery is a drug discovery company providing peptide lead identification services using a proprietary bead-based peptide display engine combined with microfluidic functional screening. The platform screens libraries of over one billion natural and non-natural peptides against challenging cell-surface targets, including GPCRs, and outputs functional therapeutic leads for peptide, peptidomimetic, and small molecule drug programmes. Orbit serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners across oncology, radiopharmaceuticals, and oligonucleotide delivery applications.

Viral vector platform for solid tumour immunotherapy

Akamis Bio is a clinical-stage oncology company developing oncolytic adenoviral therapeutics for solid tumours. Its platform delivers immunotherapeutic payloads directly to tumour sites following intravenous dosing, enabling tumour-localised expression of proteins including CD40 agonist antibodies and cytokines. Lead programme NG-350A is in a Phase 1b trial for locally advanced rectal cancer, having received FDA Fast Track Designation; NG-641 is in Phase 1 combination studies in advanced epithelial tumours.

Topical peptide therapeutics targeting inflammatory skin disease

Carocell Bio is a pre-clinical stage biotechnology company developing proprietary peptide-based therapeutics for inflammatory diseases. Its pipeline centres on topical formulations that inhibit mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/p38), a key regulator of the inflammatory cascade. Lead programmes target atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, burns and scarring. Candidates are formulated using nanoparticle delivery systems to enhance skin penetration, and have demonstrated activity in human biopsy studies.

TSG-6 protein therapeutics for inflammatory and degenerative disease

Link Biologics is a preclinical-stage biotechnology company developing protein therapeutics based on TSG-6, an endogenous human protein with anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective properties. Spun out from the University of Manchester in 2021, the company is advancing its lead asset, Link_TSG6, across programmes in dry eye disease and osteoarthritis. A licensing partnership with Théa Open Innovation supports development of the dry eye programme toward clinical trials.

Custom peptide synthesis, antibodies, and protein analysis services

Alta Bioscience is a manufacturer and accredited analytical laboratory specialising in custom biochemical synthesis and protein analysis services. The company produces custom peptides, peptide libraries, DNA oligonucleotides, and polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies for academic, pharmaceutical, and food industry clients worldwide. Analytical services include amino acid analysis, N-terminal Edman protein sequencing, HPLC, and mass spectrometry. The laboratory holds UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for amino acid analysis and protein sequencing.

Tumour-activated peptide drug conjugates for targeted oncology

Avacta Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing peptide drug conjugates designed to deliver toxic chemotherapy payloads selectively within the tumour microenvironment. The company's delivery approach uses a short engineered peptide that masks the active payload until it is cleaved by fibroblast activation protein, a protease concentrated in tumour-supporting cells. This mechanism concentrates drug activity at the tumour site while limiting systemic toxicity. Two candidates are currently in clinical development across multiple solid tumour indications.

Novel peptide-based therapeutics and biomarkers for neurodegeneration

Neuro-Bio is a preclinical-stage biotechnology company developing a first-in-class therapeutic approach to Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Its research centres on T14, a 14 amino acid bioactive peptide derived from acetylcholinesterase, which the company has identified as a potential driver of neurodegeneration in the adult brain. Neuro-Bio is pursuing both a therapeutic programme targeting T14 activity and a companion blood-based diagnostic to detect its presence as a biomarker of early disease.

Integrated drug discovery CRO from target to clinical candidate

Sygnature Discovery is a UK-headquartered integrated drug discovery contract research organisation. Operating from sites in Nottingham, Alderley Park, and Glasgow, the company provides end-to-end drug discovery services spanning target identification, medicinal chemistry, in vitro bioscience, structural biology, computational chemistry, DMPK, in vivo pharmacology, and drug formulation. Sygnature serves global pharma, biotech, and not-for-profit organisations, and has contributed to over 56 pre-clinical and 35 clinical compounds since its founding.

Therapeutic cancer vaccines based on recombinant overlapping peptide technology

Oxford Vacmedix is a clinical-stage biopharma company developing therapeutic cancer vaccines using its proprietary Recombinant Overlapping Peptide (ROP) platform. ROPs stimulate broad T cell and antibody immunity without HLA restriction, enabling a universal immunotherapy approach. The lead programme, OVM-200, targets survivin and has completed Phase 1 trials in non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian, and prostate cancer, meeting safety and immune response endpoints. A second asset targeting HPV-associated cervical cancer is in pre-clinical development.