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  • Pages
  • Editions
01 Cover
02 Welcome Letter / Sections
03 Article & Interview Directory
04 Section 1: Introduction
05 Introduction to US Life Sciences
06 Janssen Pharmaceuticals Interview
07 Investment Climate
08 MPM Capital Interview
09 Signet Healthcare Partners Interview
10 Xontogeny Interview
11 Insights from EisnerAmper
12 The Life Sciences Regulatory Climate
13 Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC Interview
14 PhRMA Interview
15 PBOA Interview
16 Ernst & Young LLP Interview
17 LaVoieHealthScience Interview
18 Section 2: Introducing the Hubs
19 East Coast
20 BioNJ Interview
21 MassBio Interview
22 Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center Interview
23 West Coast
24 Biocom California Interview
25 QB3-Berkeley Interview
26 Section 3: Drug Discovery and Development
27 Therapeutic Fields On Fire
28 Insmed Interview
29 Mammoth Biosciences Interview
30 Innovations Enhancing the Patient Experience
31 Arcturus Therapeutics Interview
32 Karius Interview
33 Expert Insights: Targeted Therapeutics
34 First Wave BioPharma Interview
35 Aphios Corporation Interview
36 Section 4: Contract Manufacturing and Chemicals
37 A Shifting Landscape
38 Syngene International Interview
39 Cambrex Interview
40 Lubrizol Life Science Interview
41 Aenova Group Interview
42 Keeping Up With Demands
43 Cureline Interview
44 Interview: Murli Krishna Pharma
45 PsychoGenics Interview
46 Expert Insights: Innovative Technologies
47 AMPAC Fine Chemicals Interview
48 TCG Lifesciences Interview
49 CordenPharma Interview
50 Quotient Sciences Interview
51 A Post-Pandemic World
52 New Vision Pharmaceuticals Interview
53 Adare Pharma Solutions Interview
54 Ascendia Pharmaceuticals Interview
55 Chemicals Producers and Distributors
56 Brenntag North America Interview
57 BASF Pharma Solutions Interview
58 Section 5: Technology Services
59 Life Sciences Go Digital
60 RxS Interview
61 Insights from Markem-Imaje
62 AiCure Interview
63 WhizAI Interview
64 Section 6: Company Profiles
65 Brenntag Company Profile
66 Adare Pharma Solutions Company Profile
67 Quotient Sciences Company Profile
68 SK pharmteco Company Profile
69 AiCure Company Profile
70 Markem-Imaje Company Profile
71 TCG Lifesciences Company Profile
72 Murli Krishna Pharma Company Profile
73 Credits

Emer Leahy, President & CEO,

PSYCHOGENICS

"The main trait we are looking for in partners is access to interesting chemical libraries where combining good chemistry with our platforms we can identify novel treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders."

Can you give an overview of how business has evolved for PsychoGenics over the past year?

There are two sides to PsychoGenics: a preclinical CNS-focused CRO and drug discovery. On the CRO side, PsychoGenics experienced significant growth with our service business growing about 30%. This can largely be attributed to the significant amount of investment currently going into CNS research. More companies are being formed, and we are increasingly seeing small, well-funded, venture-backed companies reaching out to us for our services. We have continued to expand the company’s service offerings and added many people to our team (currently 150). We have also increased our research facility footprint.

On the drug discovery side, PsychoGenics has pioneered the use of AI in phenotypic drug discovery with our SmartCube and other in vivo platforms. We are seeing renewed interest from companies looking to partner with us in order to access our phenotypic platforms. We have also put significant effort into internal drug discovery where we utilize our platforms in psychiatric drug discovery. We have built up a substantial library of chemically diverse compounds (more than 7,000) that have been tested in SmartCube and have shown interesting activity for CNS indications. We have initiated several drug discovery programs and expect to take one or two of these into IND-enabling studies in 2022.

Do you believe the need for CNS research and drug discovery has been exacerbated due to the pandemic?

We definitely saw an increase in the number of people suffering from depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and anorexia in teens, amongst others. This has been particularly evident in the vulnerable adolescent population which showed an approximate 30% increase in the prevalence of mental illness compared to prior years.

How would you describe the investment climate in the life sciences sector, particularly for CNS research and development?

In 2020 and 2021 we saw a significant increase in investor interest and funding in CNS research. Many new well-funded companies emerged. Many big pharma renewed their interest in CNS research over the past few years. The government is also investing in certain areas of CNS research such as the NIH HEAL Initiative addressing the opioid crisis. PsychoGenics is part of the HEAL initiative through the Preclinical Screening Platform for Pain (PSPP), a government program initiated in late 2019 to help identify non-opioid analgesic drugs. This program is open to companies and academic institutions worldwide who can apply to NIH to have their assets screened in the PSPP platform.

Can you elaborate on PsychoGenics’ partnerships and collaborations within the sector?

We have partnered with many companies to help identify novel and safe treatments for psychiatric conditions. Our partnership with Sunovion has been particularly productive with four compounds advancing to clinical trials. Ulotaront, previously known as SEP-363856, is the most advanced and is in multiple phase three trials for schizophrenia. Ulotaront is a new mechanism of action, and results from phase 2 suggest it has effects on negative symptoms (apathy and social withdrawal) with placebo-like side effects. We have also partnered with Roche, Blue Oak, and Karuna Therapeutics to identify potential novel drug candidates for the treatment of severe neuropsychiatric disorders. The main trait we are looking for in partners is access to interesting chemical libraries where combining good chemistry with our platforms we can identify novel treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.

In terms of AI, how has PsychoGenics been able to navigate processing big data into actionable tasks?

AI has become a buzzword in the industry, but it is important to ensure that you are working with an AI-based platform that has been validated. PsychoGenics started employing AI in biology in 2002 as a way to industrialize phenotypic drug discovery. We have since delivered many compounds to the clinic where, in the case of ulotaront, our preclinical findings were validated clinically.

What is PsychoGenics’ vision and objectives for the next few years?

Our main objective is to advance several partnered and internal compounds to clinical trials so patients can ultimately get access to much-needed improved treatments. To do this we will continue to grow the company and bring in new capabilities. Although we are experiencing a very tight and extremely competitive labor market, we aim to expand our team with the best people to move our company forward. Currently we have 20 positions to fill.

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Expert Insights: Innovative Technologies