AstraZeneca and Conformetrix announce new collaboration

AstraZeneca is entering into a new research collaboration with Conformetrix that will enhance its preclinical therapeutic pipeline.

Under the terms of the deal, Manchester-based Conformetrix will utilise its proprietary NMR-based technology to augment lead discovery and hit identification in AstraZeneca's early-stage drug research.

The innovative technology allows accurate three-dimensional structures or conformations of drug molecules to be determined in their bioactive states, without the need for structural information regarding the protein target of each drug.

AstraZeneca and Conformetrix's partnership will last for two years and will help to greatly improve the efficiency and quality of research.

Mike Snowden, vice-president and head of discovery sciences at AstraZeneca, said: "We believe their technology will provide a powerful addition to our hit identification and lead optimisation approaches, supporting our strategic objectives to improve the quality and choice of candidate compounds for our early pipeline."

This comes after AstraZeneca announced a new alliance with Amgen in the field of inflammation therapies earlier this month.