A Collaboration Between INRS and NMX Research and Solutions that Accelerates Drug Discovery
Although Fragment-Based Lead Discovery (FBLD) is one of the most promising strategies for discovering future medical compounds, there are still until today barriers that discourage industry from pursuing this approach.
Redefining Drug Discovery and Chemical Optimization Strategies
In collaboration with Sacha Larda (NMX Research and Solutions) and Michael Serrano-Wu (3 Point Bio), Professor Steven Laplante launched a project to find solutions to these problematic situations.
Together, the researchers have enhanced a drug discovery platform to identify drug candidates from molecular fragments. Each step of the FBLD has been reviewed and improved through redefining the fundamental strategies used in industry as well as in the academic world for the discovery and optimization of new therapeutic molecules. Compared to other frequently used drug discovery methods, the platform that was developed within the framework of this project allows to significantly reduce the identification of false positives, thus allowing to decrease costs by more than 30% compared to conventional methods. Research can therefore be focused on the development of candidates with the best therapeutic potential, while avoiding considerable waste of time and resources.
More than 20 scientific articles and two patent applications, one submitted by Professor Laplante and the other by NMX, also confirm the success of the initiative.
Tangible Economic Benefits for the Industry
The methods developed by Professor Laplante and his colleagues have been added to the service offering of NMX Research and Solutions, allowing it to increase its competitiveness. The platform now lets several companies innovate by accelerating drug discovery. This service is currently used by more than 12 Canadian companies, including the Montreal-based Repare Therapeutics, which has been using NMX’s contract research services since 2019.
Simultaneously, NMX’s revenues have hiked by 200% between 2017 and 2021 with an equivalent of 20-30% growth per year. In a similar timeframe, it also grew from 8 employees in 2018 to 15 in 2022.
Furthermore, the project also had positive results for partner 3 Point Bio, which used the new FBLD strategies in its research program to discover candidate fragments and compounds for multiple targets.
A Bridge Between the Industry and Academic Worlds
Another benefit resulting from this collaborative project is the training of highly qualified and specialized staff. Indeed, throughout the project, several students were trained and developed highly sought-after skills. In fact, at least eight of them were hired by companies at the end of their studies, thus meeting the industry’s need for qualified employees.
Important Financial Support for Translational Research
Finally, Professor Steven Laplante’s project could not have come into being without the financial involvement of CQDM through the SynergiQc program, the contribution of the SMEs NMX Research and Solutions and 3 Point Bio, the research community through the INRS and the support of Mitacs and the Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation.