We never set out to become a specialist GPCR drug discovery company, nor do we see ourselves as one today. Our identity remains that of an integrated drug discovery organisation with extensive experience across a wide range of target classes. That said, our significant expertise in GPCRs has developed naturally, not through deliberate strategy but rather as a result of our history and the experience of our people.

This journey arguably began with the formation of our team to support the European Lead Factory Project. Through this initiative, we worked on over a hundred distinct drug targets, several of which were GPCRs. This breadth of target classes reflects our versatile capability, with GPCRs emerging as a focal area purely due to volume and necessity. Yet, the foundations of our expertise run much deeper. Scotland has a very rich heritage in GPCR science, thanks to historical pioneers like Sir James Black and modern research leaders such as Professor Graeme Milligan and Professor Andrew Tobin. In fact, many of our scientists trained under these contemporary leaders, and their insights form a legacy that deeply influences our work.

Additionally, the historical legacy of Organon, previously a drug discovery research powerhouse at our current site, continues to shape our approach. Many of our senior scientists began their careers in GPCR research at Organon, discovering new drug molecules that helped drive the company’s success during a previous era of GPCR innovation. They bring over 30 years of continuous experience to the modern era of re-discovery in GPCR science. Over 40% of all BioAscent biology projects, and our largest chemistry project, have been GPCR projects.

Our recognition as a leader in GPCR drug discovery wasn’t something we set out to achieve; it reflects the organic growth that comes from being responsive to both market needs and the curiosity and drive of the internal expertise we’ve cultivated. The market, recognising our breadth and depth of knowledge, has selected us for our strengths in GPCRs, and we embrace that expertise. As we look to the future, this means working to embed new knowledge and research initiatives that will enable us to push boundaries in GPCR science, while remaining dedicated to the diversity across target classes that defines us. In this way, we remain both specialists by experience and generalists by design.

Here's what our customers have to say:

“Our project, against a novel GPCR target, has been a career highlight.  We’ve worked closely with BioAscent from the initial assay development and screen, through hit confirmation, hit-to-lead and lead-optimisation, to the point where we have two preclinical candidates.  We asked BioAscent to make some really challenging compounds to support our SAR hypotheses, and without the expertise, initiative and tenacity of the BioAscent chemistry team, this project would not have succeeded.  In summary, BioAscent has been the best chemistry CRO I’ve worked with.” Director, Medicinal Chemistry, Biotech

“The BioAscent biosciences team worked as independent contributors, suggesting and successfully developing assays for a novel GPCR target, and deploying these to support rapid design-make-test cycles.  As well supplying assays and data of extremely high quality, the initiative the BioAscent team showed when designing and interpreting experiments was a critical factor in the success of this project.  Ours was very much a team of intellectual equals, and this intellectual collaboration was very much a driving force behind the success of this programme.” Head of GPCR Pharmacology, Biotech

Click here to learn more about GPCR drug discovery and how BioAscent can support your project.