Apollo Therapeutics and University of Oxford sign drug discovery partnership

This alliance is aimed at transforming scientific breakthroughs at Oxford into potential new treatments.

Under the deal, Apollo will detect and evaluate established therapeutic targets from Oxford’s biomedical research for their viability as new treatments.

Oxford’s researchers will benefit from Apollo’s expertise in therapeutic development and programme funding.

This partnership will expedite patient access to clinical trials and hasten the market introduction of new medicines originating from Oxford’s research.

The collaboration is based on the innovation environment and a wealth of early drug development translational research programmes at Oxford.

Apollo’s specialists in drug discovery will support the creation of new treatments in fields including oncology, and immunological and inflammatory disorders.

University of Oxford Innovation pro-vice chancellor professor Chas Bountra said: “My amazing colleagues at Oxford have numerous cutting-edge research programmes for producing novel therapeutics for patients. Apollo Therapeutics has assembled a world leading team of drug discovery and development experts. Together we are going to transform the lives of millions of patients. I am immensely excited about this collaboration.”

With this most recent partnership, Apollo’s sixth with a university or academic research centre, academics from Oxford will have access to the former’s knowledge and resources.

This deal will also strengthen Apollo’s R&D platform for the discovery and development of new medications.

Apollo Therapeutics CEO Dr Richard Mason said: “At Apollo Therapeutics we are ambitious in our mission to translate important new research discoveries into valuable new drugs. We are therefore delighted to be collaborating with the University of Oxford, a university that is consistently at the top of global rankings for scientific research and innovation.

“We are now working together with six of the world’s top universities and research centres to transform the standard of care in major commercial markets based on breakthroughs in biology and basic medical research made by scientists at these institutions.”