AMRI renews 10-year $39.5m drug discovery contract

17-Apr-2018 - Last updated on 17-Apr-2018 at 19:34 GMT

(Image: Getty/shironosov)

AMRI will provide various services supporting drug discovery programs in neurotherapeutics as part of a 10-year contract worth up to $39.5m.

The contract research, development, and manufacturing organization (CDMO) today announced its renewed contract with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN). AMRI was originally awarded the contract in 2011.

As part of the renewal, AMRI will provide BPN with medicinal chemistry and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) services.

Chris Conway, AMRI’s senior vice president and head of drug discovery, chemical development and analytical services, told us the company is dedicated to advancing BPN's mission and "will continue to commit resources to support the growing needs of the companies involved with advancing drug discovery programs in neurotherapeutics.”

Services include exploratory chemistry, hit-to-lead and lead optimization efforts, including structure-activity-relationship (SAR) analysis and design, synthesis, in vitro ADMET studies, and computer-aided drug discovery, according to the company.

Additionally, as part of the contract, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) will gain access to AMRI’s Buffalo, NY-based drug discovery center of excellence, which opened in December 2015.

AMRI has three other contracts with the NIH and is a dedicated center for the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Chemical Biology Consortium (CBC).