About

Sygnature Discovery is a world-leading integrated drug discovery and non-clinical solutions provider, offering expertise across a broad range of therapeutic areas and biological target classes.

The battle against disease, and the pioneering mission to improve life and health, should be at the top of the agenda for every society. And early drug discovery is right at the heart of this challenge.

It’s a challenge our scientists have been meeting for decades. For us, our work is powered not just by our love of science, but by the value of what we produce. This work is about people. It’s about giving them a better and a longer life. And that is a powerful motivator for success.

Sygnature Discovery’s particular success in this field is due to a distinctive synergy of chemistry, bioscience, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, computational design, and in vivo pharmacology. Our unique approach to laboratory working – with multiple disciplines co-located on the same research site in the same laboratories – is key to our success in advancing our customers’ drug discovery projects into clinical development. When hurdles inevitably arise, we bring together different minds and skill sets to create the spark of innovation we need to overcome them.

This is why drug sponsors know they can turn to us with their hopes and their challenges. From target discovery all the way through to preclinical research, Sygnature has the right approach, the right team, and the right tools to enable success.

Our Team

More than 80% of Sygnature’s scientists hold a PhD, and many of Sygnature’s research scientists also bring considerable pharmaceutical industry drug discovery experience, which is applied to every research project we undertake for our customers. This allows us to collaborate on an equal footing with our clients’ scientists, providing genuine intellectual input and drug discovery expertise to drive their projects towards the clinic.

Our approach is to forge a true partnership with our customers. That means clear and open communication, every step of the way, delivering honest insight on the viability of their project and the best way forward.

Our Name

When the company was founded in August 2004 to provide medicinal and synthetic chemistry services, it was known as Sygnature Chemical Services. In September 2011, when our Bioscience department was created, the company was renamed Sygnature Discovery to better reflect our capability to design, make and test novel compounds in an integrated fashion during the drug discovery process. Sygnature is a combination of ‘synthesis’ and ‘nature’ to allude to the ‘green chemistry’ that was part of Dr Simon Hirst’s inspiration in founding the organisation. Now, with a more mature brand, we believe Sygnature Discovery represents a unique and distinct way to operate and do business which benefits our staff, our clients and ultimately patients.

The Facts at a Glance

• Integrated drug discovery contract research organisation
• Founded in 2004 in BioCity, Nottingham

• Research scientists are co-located in modern, state-of-the-art labs in our
  purpose-built UK research facilities at BioCity, Nottingham, and Alderley Park, Cheshire, with an office presence in the biotech hub at Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Since 2018 Sygnature has acquired and successfully integrated three companies – RenaSci, Alderley Oncology, and XenoGesis – expanding our DMPK capabilities and bringing pre-clinical experimental services into our roster of drug discovery solutions

• Private equity-backed company
  • Financially stable
  • Senior management team are co-investors
  • Investment is funding expansion of capabilities and capacity
  • Ambitious future growth plans

If you would like to speak to one of our experts about what partnering with Sygnature could mean for your project, contact us.