MRCT announces that Dr Justin Bryans joins new drug discovery team as director of medical chemistry
4 May 2005
Medical Research Council Technology (MRCT) - the Medical Research Council's (MRC) technology transfer company - today announced that Dr Justin Bryans will head the Chemistry division of its new Drug Discovery Group.
Dr Bryans brings to MRCT a wealth of commercial drug discovery experience and a proven track record of delivering drug candidates into the clinic. Dr Bryan's previous positions have included Senior Chemist at Xenova, Associate Director of Chemistry at Parke-Davis and, most recently, Senior Principal Scientist at Pfizer - the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company. He has led projects in a wide range of therapeutic areas and is a co-inventor on over fifty patents.
MRCT received the go-ahead to create a new Drug Discovery Group from the MRC in December 2004. The group will be built on existing strengths within MRCT, which already has a group of scientists who screen potential drugs at its laboratories in Mill Hill, north London. A significant group of medicinal chemists will be recruited and the biology group will be expanded, with the objective of creating an enhanced screening capability and 'hit to lead' chemistry to help accelerate the translation of MRC's cutting edge biology into innovative new therapies.
MRCT Chief Executive Officer Roberto Solari said:
"Justin Bryans has an impressive track record in drug discovery within the Biotech and Pharmaceutical industries. We are delighted that he has chosen to join our exciting new initiative and believe it validates our decision to go down this path. The earliest stages of the drug discovery process are now accessible to academic organisations but it is absolutely essential that we approach the task in a professional manner, adhering to industry's best practice. By coupling the MRC's world leading biology with top-notch medicinal chemistry we hope to help the identification of new medicines to treat a broad range of diseases."
Dr Bryans will take up his appointment at the beginning of June and the Chemistry division of the new discovery group will employ up to 24 staff.
For more information call the MRC press office on 0207 637 601
Notes to editors
The Medical Research Council (MRC) is a national organisation funded by the UK tax-payer. Its business is medical research aimed at improving human health; everyone stands to benefit from the outputs. The research it supports and the scientists it trains meet the needs of the health services, the pharmaceutical and other health-related industries and the academic world. MRC has funded work which has led to some of the most significant discoveries and achievements in medicine in the UK. About half of the MRC's expenditure of £500 million is invested in its 40 Institutes, Units and Centres. The remaining half goes in the form of grant support and training awards to individuals and teams in universities and medical schools.
MRCT
MRC Technology (MRCT) is the technology transfer company of the Medical Research Council responsible for turning MRC scientific discoveries and inventions into technologies and products with healthcare benefits.
Drug Discovery
Drug discovery relates to the earliest stage of the drug development process whereby molecular or cellular 'targets' are probed with collections of small chemicals in order to identify molecules that interact. Such 'hits' are further analysed and modified to generate 'leads', which exhibit suitable 'drug-like' properties. Leads will undergo significant further optimisation to create candidate drugs.
