• REPROCELL will provide custom drug discovery assays using live human tissues to improve the prediction of drug safety and efficacy
• The collaboration is part of Medicines Discovery Catapult’s Virtual R&D network, which aims to support UK SMEs develop and execute their drug discovery projects with industrial rigour

Glasgow UK, 12 March 2019: REPROCELL Europe Ltd (REPROCELL), a UK-based human tissue research company, today announced a strategic partnership with Medicines Discovery Catapult.

REPROCELL has joined Medicines Discovery Catapult’s Virtual R&D platform – a unique national network of consultants, private sector CROs, expert labs and public sector centres of excellence, providing medicines discovery expertise, services and virtual programme management.

Assays utilising fresh human tissue provide the most relevant model to predict how drugs will behave in patients, and which drugs will succeed in clinical trials, where currently 80-90% fail. REPROCELL aims to overcome the logistical and ethical challenges surrounding the use of human tissue in pre-clinical drug development by providing contract laboratory services in predictive human fresh tissue assays. As a GLP-accredited CRO, REPROCELL can use these human ex-vivo pharmacology models as a way to bridge the gap between in-vivo data and clinical trials. The predictive human data generated helps de-risk projects and add commercial value through early indications of drug safety, efficacy and absorption characteristics, informing early proof-of-concept.

REPROCELL is accredited as a Research Tissue Bank and has established an extensive network of tissue collaborators, in both the UK and USA.

Dr David Bunton, Chief Executive Officer, REPROCELL Europe, said: “REPROCELL is globally recognised as the world leader in the use of ethically-sourced human fresh tissue to better predict drug efficacy and safety during pre-clinical drug development. We are excited to be working closely with the Medicines Discovery Catapult and to be part of a select group of companies developing innovative approaches to drug discovery. We hope that our combined services will accelerate drug development to the benefit of many UK biotechs.”

Dr Karen Bingham, Chief Operating Officer, REPROCELL Europe, commented: “Ethically-sourced human tissue samples are such an important resource for the prediction of efficacy and safety of novel drug compounds and are becoming increasingly important in the area of precision medicine.  It’s crucial that the NHS, industry and academia work together through collaborations such as Medicines Discovery Catapult in order to maximise use of this precious resource.”