In this Provider Innovation Profile, we’re proud to feature Melior Discovery, a pioneer of in vivo phenotypic screening and a leader in the area of drug repositioning.
Melior’s platform evaluates compounds through up to 40 different animal models representing 14 broad therapeutic areas, potentially uncovering therapeutic efficacy that might be undetected using traditional assessments.
Recently, Melior made the news with its novel opioidTRACE® Analgesic Profiling Platform. Given the need to develop low-abuse analgesics to address the opioid crisis, Melior has configured an in vivo platform aimed at specifically profiling opioid therapeutics and related analgesics.
The opioidTRACE® platform addresses the multiple features characteristic of opioids, including rodent models that evaluate acute analgesia, chronic analgesia, respiratory depression, GI mobility, and abuse liability. In addition to opioid testing, Melior has a wide array of animal models of analgesia ranging models of acute pain to chronic neuropathy models.
Melior’s new panel is just the latest demonstration of the team’s unique know-how in applying “production-mode” methods for in vivo screening across multiple therapeutic areas. Its proprietary theraTRACE® platform enables rapid and cost-effective identification of new therapeutic potential by systematically screening candidates in a diverse array of validated in vivo disease models.
Fibrosis is another disease area for which Melior’s panels have exemplified the utility of in vivo phenotypic screening. Melior has validated models of liver and lung fibrosis; download the validation data for these models from the Resources section of Melior’s Science Exchange storefront.
Why Requesters are Choosing Melior for In vivo Studies
Melior’s capability directly translates to efficiencies combined with high levels of quality for their clients. Positive ratings and testimonials illustrate the benefits that attract repeat business for Melior:
High reproducibility and predictive power of in vivo methodologies, models, and assays assuring high quality of data
Lower overall costs resulting from the availability of highly cost effective preclinical services from Melior
Rapid responses to requests for service and quick turnaround times for preclinical studies
Ability to rapidly customize, design, and modify models in response to requests for specialized in vivo services or changes in protocols or unexpected results at any stage of the study
Dr. Sridharan Rajamani, Senior Research Scientist at Gilead Sciences, said that his team chose Melior Discovery because they were responsive and cost effective. “We are staying with them as a chosen scientific partner because of their thoughtful scientific input to experimental design and attention to detail,” said Dr. Rajamani. “Their expertise and flexibility allowed us to quickly adapt the study design and evaluate additional outcome measures to pursue unexpected activity.”
Interested in working with Melior Discovery? Request a quote to start the discussion.
Image of Colon Tumor Stem Cells courtesy of OcellO
If you aren’t exploring the latest cell culture models of human tissue for nonclinical and preclinical testing, you should be.
That’s the bottom line of today’s Science Exchange service provider roundup — three of the five newest service providers on our platform are experts in developing predictive models.
Advances in predictive model systems
Axiogenesis, based in Germany, develops iPSC-derived models of cardiac tissue, neurons, and other cell types. In late 2016, the company made the news when researchers at the United States FDA published a peer-reviewed study showing that Axiogenesis’s Cor.4U cardiomyocyte model was the most predictive model in cardiac safety tests. Last month, researchers at Wake Forest University used the Cor.4U model to develop a digitally trackable beating-heart biosensor. The future of cardiac safety clearly lies beyond hERG channel electrophysiology!
Generating tissue models with precise spatial resolution is possible using 3D bioprinting, in which Cypre Biotech is an expert. Based in San Francisco, USA, the company focuses on customizing the extracellular matrix of tumor microenvironment models to match certain cancer subtypes. Given the impact of new cancer drugs, including certain immunotherapies, on the tumor microenvironment, technologies such as that developed by Cypre are going to be needed for testing safety and efficacy.
The third service provider in this roundup excelling in the development of clinically relevant microtissue models is OcellO, headquartered in the Netherlands. Researchers at OcellO have published numerous peer-reviewed studies showing how combining three-dimensional tissue culture with high-throughput imaging can enable efficient, automated screening and phenotypic profiling. Their most recent publication showed that phenotypic screening of kinase inhibitors could reveal potential new targets for polycystic kidney disease (view abstract in the Resources section of the OcellO storefront).
Analytical methods for translational research
As model systems advance in complexity and throughput, analytical methods must keep pace. Two service providers new on Science Exchange are known for their expertise in developing reliable analytical methods.
Pangaea Oncology is one of the most prestigious laboratories in the world in the fields of molecular diagnostics, pathology, and related analysis services for translational research. We are thrilled to have the Pangaea team, led by expert Dr. Rafael Rosell and Nobel laureate Dr. Santiago Ramón y Cajal, join the Science Exchange platform! Pangaea Oncology was the first laboratory in Spain to be accredited to perform certain genetic tests for cancer in serum/plasma samples, advancing precision medicine.
We also bring you Metis Laboratories, whose analytical expertise centers on radiotracer-based assays. These assays remain one of the most sensitive and specific platforms for assessing ligand binding and compound distribution; however, complex handling requirements mean that outsourcing these studies is far more practical than developing radiotracer assays in house.
We are excited to attend the 23rd Annual Biotech Symposium hosted by Charles River, a leading service provider on the Science Exchange network — and we hope to see you there! Join your colleagues and industry experts from Bluebird, Janssen, Pfizer, and Amgen in Carlsbad, CA September 11–13.
With five different session tracks, join Charles River to learn about:
Biotherapeutic development programs and related case studies
Biomolecules and modifications to prolong a molecule’s half-life
Preclinical development of inhaled therapeutics
Microphysiology systems for biotherapeutics
Arrive one day early and attend the pre-symposium workshop titled, Where Does My Protein Go and Why Does It Matter? The Role of PK/PD in Biotherapeutics on Sunday, September 10.
Discounted room rates are available until August 11 and special registration fees are available to SOT BTSS members.
Science Exchange First & Only R&D Outsourcing Platform to Receive EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework Certification
PALO ALTO CA, July 20, 2017 – Science Exchange today announced that it is the first and only R&D outsourcing platform to receive EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework certification from the U.S. Department of Commerce. This certification demonstrates the company’s commitment to the protection and privacy of sensitive data shared by its customers and scientific service providers on the Science Exchange platform.
Designed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the European Commission and Swiss Administration, the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework provides companies with a method to conform to data protection requirements when transferring personal data from the European Union and Switzerland to the United States in support of transatlantic business. This new framework replaces the EU-U.S. Safe Harbor program.
“The privacy and security of data for scientific research is a top priority for our customers and service providers, and we saw this certification as an important step for Science Exchange, especially in light of recent cyberattacks that affected companies across the healthcare and biopharma industries,” said Elizabeth Iorns, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Science Exchange. “The thousands of companies that use the Science Exchange platform can be assured that we are committed to the protection of the personal and scientific data entrusted to us.”
To receive EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework certification, companies must commit to a range of data management requirements, including that they will:
Inform individuals about how their data is processed
Maintain data integrity and purpose limitation
Ensure accountability for data transferred to third parties
Review and certify that all requirements are met on an annual basis
In addition to being the only R&D outsourcing platform with EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework certification, Science Exchange is also SOC 2 compliant, which validates that the company meets standardized criteria for managing data privacy and security – a certification that is increasingly required by regulators and auditors. Science Exchange is also ISO 9001 certified, which recognizes that the company adheres to strict quality management principles and maintains a consistent quality assurance program.
For more details about the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework, the certification process, or to view a list of participating companies, visit www.privacyshield.gov.
We are proud of our own Dr. Gabriel Roybal-Jungemann, Senior Scientist and R&D Specialist at Science Exchange, who will be speaking this week at a career panel aimed at increasing STEM leaders of color. Promoting diversity in science is crucial to achieving Science Exchange’s mission of enabling breakthrough research.
Gabriel joined Science Exchange after 12+ years in biomedical research and teaching at minority-serving institutions. He is also an entrepreneur, having founded his first company in 2013 to help improve family health and address health disparities.
As a scientist of color, Gabriel will be speaking to minority STEM students about entrepreneurship and to encourage alternative careers and innovation.
Read more about the event below!
This week, a select cohort of underrepresented minority STEM students will begin their path to leadership. Science Exchange will be represented with the participation of Dr. Gabriel Roybal-Jungemann, Senior Scientist, Research and Development Specialist, as a Career Panel Speaker for the inaugural SACNAS Chapter Leadership Institute (CLI).
The institute, held July 7 – 8 at San Jose City College, is two full days of small group exercises, keynote speakers, leadership development workshops, networking opportunities, and extensive community building among selected participants from colleges and universities across California.
SACNAS Director of Programs, Mr. Rolando Madrid says the Genentech Foundation is the ideal partner to nurture a new generation of leaders. He notes, “We are proud to partner with the Genentech Foundation to launch our inaugural Chapter Leadership Institute. Genentech understands the importance of investing in our next generation of underrepresented minority scientists and is doing their part to ensure that the future is well developed and prepared to tackle the issues of the 21st century.”
Participants of the CLI are all part of the SACNAS chapter program, a national network of 115 student and professional chapters that work to strengthen community and peer support for minority scientists at the local and regional levels.
Ms. Tanya Beat, manager of the SACNAS Chapter Program, says, “The CLI will equip students with critical take-away tools including individual leadership plans, mentor-mentee relationships, and a rich network of peers and STEM leaders from California.”
Since 2009, SACNAS leadership initiatives have trained a cohort of 30 PhD-level scientists each year, making it the largest group of emerging STEM leaders of color in the country. With the introduction of CLI, SACNAS is expanding leadership training to the undergraduate and graduate student levels, nurturing leaders earlier in their educational and career trajectories.
SACNAS is an inclusive organization dedicated to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM. Considered the founder of the biotechnology industry, Genentech is leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of medicines that treat patients with serious or life-threatening medical conditions. The Genentech Foundation focuses on three charitable giving goals: advancing scientific knowledge, enhancing health outcomes, and building strong communities to build real and lasting change.
Sequencing the genomes of every individual kākāpō in the entire species
The kākāpō is a species of large, flightless, nocturnal, ground-dwelling parrot of the super-family Strigopoidea endemic to New Zealand. With only 154 living individuals remaining, it’s one of the world’s rarest birds.
Since early 2016, The Genetic Rescue Foundation, in partnership with The Department of Conservation (DOC), The University of Otago, Duke University, New Zealand Genomics Ltd (NZGL), Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and Science Exchange, has funded and managed the effort to sequence the genomes of every individual in this quirky, critically endangered species.
The Genetic Rescue Foundation’s fundraising has come in the form of generous private donations, kākāpō DNA portrait sales and a successful crowdfunding campaign on Experiment.com.
To date, the project has successfully sequenced 80 kākāpō. Part of the work was made possible by collaborating with DNA sequencing service providers on the Science Exchange network of 2,500+ service providers. Today we’re thrilled to announce that Science Exchange will be funding the remainder of the project in order to bring it to completion!
Detailed genetic data for every individual in an entire species is a world first and represents a genomics-focused paradigm shift in modern conservation efforts. The possible discoveries that will come from this rich dataset are limitless. Scientists’ immediate efforts will be focused on finding genetic links to dwarfism, infertility and other diseases and conditions hampering kākāpō population recovery.
The dataset will be controlled by the New Zealand government but will be made available for all non-profit researchers to use. All sequencing will be completed by the end of 2017, with the full dataset available for researchers in 2018.
“Science Exchange has made completing this project possible. They’ve achieved that by providing The Genetic Rescue Foundation with unrivaled access to the world’s best scientific service providers and by stepping in to fund the remainder of the project. This data will steer kākāpō conservation decisions for years and decades to come. It may prove to be the deciding factor in saving this species.”
Science Exchange is proud to be involved with this pioneering conservation initiative. Join Science Exchange today and work with us to accelerate your research.
Funding led by Norwest Venture Partners with participation from Union Square Ventures, Maverick Capital and Collaborative Fund
Palo Alto, CA – June 29, 2017– As further evidence of its position as the world’s leading platform for outsourced research and development (R&D), Science Exchange today announced it has raised $28 million in Series C funding. Founded in response to the global growth in outsourced R&D services, the company has raised more than $58 million since its inception in 2011. Norwest Venture Partners led the latest round with participation from existing investors Union Square Ventures, Maverick Capital, and Collaborative Fund.
“In the last decade, outsourcing of R&D has become a core strategy for improving efficiency and providing access to innovation for top companies globally. Forty percent of R&D spend is now outsourced and this trend continues to grow,” explained Science Exchange CEO Elizabeth Iorns, Ph.D., a research scientist who co-founded the company. “At the same time, businesses are challenged to manage their outsourced R&D. They need to track progress and provider performance across what could be hundreds of service provider relationships, impacting the cost, quality and timeliness of research projects. The Science Exchange platform solves this by removing barriers in the outsourcing process – providing companies with instant access to a network of pre-qualified service providers, as well as contracting, project management and reporting tools.”
As part of the Series C, Casper de Clercq, General Partner at Norwest and veteran of the life sciences industry with more than 20 years of commercialization and operating experience, will join the company’s board.
“Science Exchange has developed an outsourcing platform that is enjoying tremendous momentum as many of the world’s largest pharma and biotech companies have signed up,” said Casper de Clercq, General Partner at Norwest. “They are well-positioned as the leader in a large and expanding market. We are excited to help Science Exchange become the world’s largest platform for outsourced R&D.”
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with such prestigious investors to help us grow our business at such a critical time in the evolution of R&D outsourcing,” commented Iorns. “This investor confidence confirms our business strategy and potential for continued growth.”
Through the Science Exchange platform, researchers have easy and secure access to more than 2,500 of the world’s premier outsourced R&D service providers — qualified contract research organizations (CROs), contract manufacturers (CMOs), academic labs, and government facilities. Thousands of scientists have used the platform to support their pursuit of breakthrough scientific discoveries, including those from 10 of the top 20 biopharma companies. In fact, the company has grown its enterprise-wide strategic sourcing agreements with leading pharmaceutical companies by more than 2,000 percent since 2015.
Science Exchange plans to use the funding to continue its expansion beyond biopharma into other industries where scientists are faced with R&D outsourcing challenges – including agricultural science, cosmetics, aerospace and industrial chemicals. The company will strategically hire across product, engineering, sales, marketing, and customer success.
About Science Exchange
Science Exchange is the world’s leading platform for outsourced research, providing an efficient procure-to-pay platform for ordering services from a network of more than 2,500 qualified scientific service providers, all with pre-established contracts in place that protect client intellectual property and confidentiality. The platform increases scientists’ access to innovation and improves productivity, freeing them up from the administrative tasks and delays associated with sourcing, establishing and managing service provider contracts. Additionally, the Science Exchange enterprise program enables organizations to consolidate research R&D outsourcing spend into a single strategic relationship, driving efficiency and cost savings. Since being founded in 2011, Science Exchange has raised more than $58 million from Norwest Venture Partners, Maverick Capital Ventures, Union Square Ventures, Collaborative Fund, Index Ventures, OATV, the YC Continuity Fund, and others. For more information, visit http://www.scienceexchange.com. Follow the company on Twitter @ScienceExchange.
About Norwest Venture Partners Norwest Venture Partners is a leading Silicon-Valley based venture capital and growth equity investment firm managing more than $6 billion in capital. Since our inception, we have invested in more than 600 companies. The firm invests in early to late stage companies across a wide range of sectors with a focus on consumer, enterprise, and healthcare. We offer a deep network of connections, operating experience, and a wide range of impactful services to help CEOs and founders advance on their journey. Norwest has offices in Palo Alto and San Francisco, with subsidiaries in Mumbai and Bengaluru, India and Herzelia, Israel. For more information, please visit http://www.nvp.com. Follow Norwest on Twitter @NorwestVP.
Biopharma scientists seeking to outsource nonclinical studies have a new way to access the scientific expertise of Covance, a market leader in drug development. Covance’s nonclinical scientific services – including lead optimization, safety assessment, drug metabolism and bioanalytical solutions – are now available through Science Exchange. Scientists can order available study services from Covance by visiting the Covance Storefront on ScienceExchange.com. Or they can contact the Science Exchange Concierge Service to have a Sourcing Manager prepare custom quotes and provide start-to-finish project management.
Scientists from around the world already use Science Exchange to save time and money by ordering services from our network of more than 6400 pre-qualified service providers. With Covance joining the Science Exchange network, scientists can further benefit by being able to easily access the deep nonclinical scientific expertise of one of the world’s top CROs through the convenience of the Science Exchange platform.
In addition, researchers at companies who have established enterprise-level Master Service Agreements (MSAs) with Science Exchange can get projects started with Covance almost instantly.
As an introductory offer, through September 30, 2017, requesters can take advantage of special fast study starts on select GLP Toxicology in vivo studies or full IND/CTA-enabling packages available from Covance, ordered through the Science Exchange platform.
Request a quote today — access nonclinical scientific services from Covance through the Covance Storefront on Science Exchange.
* To be eligible for introductory offer, work must begin by September 30, 2017. Additional terms and conditions apply. This is a limited time, limited capacity offer – Covance reserves the right to end these promotions at any time, without notice.
NEW YORK, June 7, 2017 — The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), the only public charity solely focused on funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer’s, and Science Exchange today announced the launch of ADDF ACCESS, a first-of-its-kind online platform designed to match scientists working on central nervous system (CNS) diseases with a vetted network of contract research organizations (CROs).
ADDF ACCESS meets the unique needs of scientists in both academia and small biotech companies by combining the resources of Science Exchange, the world’s leading marketplace for outsourced research and development, with the Alzheimer’s drug discovery knowledge of the ADDF.
“Drug discovery requires a wide range of expertise, from medicinal chemistry and pharmacology to project management and regulatory affairs,” said Lauren Friedman, Ph.D., ADDF ACCESS program director. “Researchers don’t always have the interdisciplinary teams needed to develop a drug. We created the new ACCESS website with Science Exchange to connect researchers with high-quality CROs and provide guidance and resources to help successfully advance their drug programs.”
On ADDF ACCESS, scientists will find:
A network of CROs and consultants with CNS drug discovery expertise, vetted by the ADDF and Science Exchange
An expert concierge service to match scientists with the right CROs, solicit multiple competitive quotes, and manage projects
A library of educational resources, including a guide to CNS drug discovery and development
“Early-stage drug research is the engine that drives progress in treating Alzheimer’s and CNS diseases,” said Dr. Howard Fillit, M.D., executive director and chief science officer of the ADDF. “We are excited to provide a resource specifically designed to facilitate connections that fuel this engine. Every scientific discovery gets us closer to finding a treatment.”
“Eliminating the laborious, resource-intensive process of finding and negotiating with CROs and other service providers helps researchers focus on their important work, and that’s what Science Exchange is all about,” said Elizabeth Iorns, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Science Exchange. “We are thrilled to partner with the ADDF on this new ACCESS website that will give scientists specializing in CNS diseases the tools and services they need to bring important, potentially life-saving drugs to market faster.”
To learn more, visit https://www.alzdiscovery.org/addf-access
About the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF)
Founded in 1998 by Leonard A. and Ronald S. Lauder, the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer’s disease. The ADDF is the only public charity solely focused on funding the development of drugs for Alzheimer’s, employing a venture philanthropy model to support research in academia and the biotech industry. Through the generosity of its donors, the ADDF has awarded over $100 million to fund more than 500 Alzheimer’s drug discovery programs and clinical trials in 18 countries. To learn more, please visit: http://www.alzdiscovery.org/.
About Science Exchange
Science Exchange is the world’s leading marketplace for outsourced research. Science Exchange provides an efficient procure-to-pay platform for ordering services from the world’s largest network of scientific service providers. Through Science Exchange, clients gain access to over 2,400 qualified service providers, all with pre-established contracts in place that protect client intellectual property and confidentiality. This increases scientists access to innovation and significantly improves their productivity because they are freed up from the administrative tasks and delays associated with sourcing, establishing and managing service provider contracts. At an organizational level, the Science Exchange enterprise program enables organizations to consolidate the long tail of research outsourcing spend into a single strategic relationship driving significant efficiency and cost savings. To date, Science Exchange has raised over $30 million from Maverick Capital Ventures, Union Square Ventures, Index Ventures, OATV, the YC Continuity Fund, and others. For more information, visit www.scienceexchange.com.
Today, we celebrate World Oceans Day with a Science Exchange success story. This is a story about connecting ocean conservation advocates with the scientists whose expertise is helping to guide conservation strategy.
Robust shark populations are a sign of healthy oceans. [photo credit: JR Clark]
The Project Earth team from Fusion TV approached Science Exchange with a unique sequencing project. They were working on a documentary film about the illegal poaching of sharks for use in shark cartilage capsules.
Studies have shown that shark cartilage is ineffective or even pro-inflammatory. Despite this and the importance of conserving sharks, who are the ocean’s apex predators, the cartilage capsule industry has managed to persuade retailers and consumers that shark cartilage could promote joint and bone health.
The Fusion TV Project Earth team wanted to find out if cartilage pills contained illegally obtained shark tissue. They needed a service provider who could perform DNA sequencing on 30 different supplements to see if they contained protected or endangered sharks.
Through the Science Exchange network, the Fusion TV Project Earth team obtained sequencing services from Laragen, Inc., a California-based service provider. Together, they were able to detect DNA from the endangered scalloped hammerhead sharks, whose trade is highly regulated, in the capsules sold at nationwide health food stores and pharmacies.
These results showed that scientific evidence can influence positive change and help to protect our natural environment. And by providing the Fusion TV Project Earth team with easy access to the world’s best scientific service providers, Science Exchange helped put the data directly into the hands of the agents of change.
About the authors:
Kaitlin Ziemer, B.S., is a Senior Sourcing Manager and Account Lead at Science Exchange. With her extensive prior experience in managing toxicology and regulated studies for large biopharma and contract research organizations, Kaitlin now specializes in human and animal tissue procurement.
JR Clark, M.S., is Science Exchange’s expert in shark biology, given his extensive research experience in evolutionary development and reproductive behavior of vertebrates. As a Sourcing Manager, he manages a wide variety of projects from basic research through drug discovery.
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