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Sygnature Discovery acquires Peak Proteins to strengthen its drug discovery capabilities

Sygnature Discovery

Peak Proteins' expertise in protein crystallography will enhance Sygnature Discovery’s fragment screening and analysis activities as well as its structure-based drug design capabilities

26 Apr 2022
Blake Forman
Content Creator

Industry news

Sygnature Discovery, a world-leading integrated discovery, and preclinical solutions provider has acquired Peak Proteins Ltd. Following an extensive partnership between the two companies, this deal will enable seamless integration of protein production and related structure determination projects within Sygnature. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Peak Proteins was set up in 2014 by scientists previously from AstraZeneca’s protein biochemistry and structural biology groups. Spearheaded by CEO, Mark Abbott, the company now employs 35 people, most of whom are scientists. Peak Proteins will continue to operate out of their new research facility in Macclesfield, near Sygnature’s Alderley Edge site. The Peak Proteins leadership team will also remain with the business.

Its core technologies include protein expression and purification, alongside protein crystallography, structure determination, and mass spectrometry services. The acquisition will expand the scope of Sygnature’s in-house drug development capabilities, bringing increased value to partner projects and future patients. Peak Proteins has collaborated closely with Sygnature Discovery for several years and together the companies have supported several integrated drug discovery programs.

The acquisition is part of Sygnature’s strategic plan to continuously invest in the expansion of its drug discovery capabilities. Steve Young, Sygnature Discovery VP of Business Development, says that “The Peak Proteins expertise will sit perfectly alongside our HTS and extensive biophysics capabilities. Their world-class expertise in protein crystallography will enhance our fragment screening and analysis activities, as well as our structure-based drug design work.”

Mark Abbott, CEO of Peak Proteins, commented: “We have always valued Sygnature Discovery’s support and are now really pleased to be joining them. It will enable us to work more closely on integrated projects in addition to our existing client base where we provide both proteins and protein structural information on a very wide range of proteins to clients across the world.”

This transaction represents the fourth acquisition that Sygnature Discovery has made in the last four years, and the first since Five Arrows Principal Investments made a significant equity investment in the company in 2021.

Sygnature Discovery’s CEO, Simon Hirst, stated: ‘We are delighted to welcome Peak Proteins and its talented scientists to the Sygnature family. Accessing high-quality proteins efficiently is often a major stumbling for projects and protein structural information is still the gold standard when it comes to drug design. The closer integration of Peak Proteins into our projects will be extremely powerful in driving programs forward.’

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ProteomicsProteomics is the systemic bioinformatics study of proteins and amino acids, including their structure, size, function and identification. Tools used in proteomics include chromatography, blotting and gels, protein arrays, mass spectrometry and ELISA and associated analysis software. Analyzers and proteomic systems should be sensitive, high resolution, fast and may be automated for high-throughput.High-Throughput ScreeningHigh-throughput screening (HTS) is an automated drug discovery technique for identification of active compounds against a compound library. Use HTS readers and integrated assay preparation / analysis workstations to screen your compounds. Identify active compounds against various HTS libraries, including membranes, proteins and peptides and HTS cell lines. Find the best high-throughput screening products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Protein PurificationProtein purification is a vital step in drug discovery, therapeutics, biotech and life science research. The purification process typically involves subcellular or membrane protein extraction with cell lysis kits, separation of proteins from cell debris by filtration or spin columns, and the isolation of proteins of interest from other proteins and impurities with affinity purification (including fusion protein tags and antibody binding proteins A, G and L), immunoprecipitation or chromatographic methods, such as ion exchange, size exclusion and immobilized metal affinity chromatography. All purification methods come in multiple formats for your laboratory needs, including agarose or magnetic beads, resins, columns and filter plates. Find the best protein purification equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Protein CrystallographyProtein crystallization is the process of crystallizing purified proteins for 3D structure analysis by x-ray crystallography. The main methods of protein crystallization include sitting drop, hanging drop and microbatch. It is important to control parameters such as pH, temperature and concentration. Following crystallization, detectors and software are used for data collection and analysis.BiomarkersBiomarkers are biological markers which can be measured and evaluated to indicate a biological state. The use of biomarkers in research and diagnosis can indicate a normal or disease state or drug response of cells / tissues. Biomarkers include genetic markers, cell surface markers such as antigens, antibodies or receptors and secreted molecules such as cytokines. An assay system is required for identification of biomarkers. :Biopharmaceutical AdvancesBiopharmaceutical advances follow the development of pharmaceuticals derived from biotechnology, also known as biotechnology medicines. Biopharmaceuticals may be produced from cell lines, plants, or microbial cells. Important considerations of biopharmaceutical use include application, cost, production process and purification.High ThroughputHigh throughput experiments allow the simultaneous processing of several samples. This parallelization reduces the cost per experiment and increases reproducibility and output volume of data.BiopharmaceuticalsBiopharmaceuticals are proteins and other compounds (such as nucleic acids) produced by living organisms that have uses as therapeutics or for in vivo diagnostics. The most well known example of a biopharmaceutical product, and the first to be approved for therapeutic use, was recombinant human insulin.BiotherapeuticsBiotherapeutics are proteins and other compounds (such as nucleic acids) produced by living organisms that have uses as therapeutics or in <i>in vivo</i> diagnostics. The most well-known example of a biotherapeutic product, and the first to be approved for therapeutic use, was recombinant human insulin.Drug DiscoveryDrug discovery is the process of identifying potential new medications, involving stages such as target identification, compound screening, and preclinical development. It relies on cutting-edge technologies like high-throughput screening, artificial intelligence, and molecular modeling to accelerate the identification of drug candidates. Drug discovery plays a pivotal role in developing new therapies for diseases ranging from cancer to rare genetic disorders. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the latest drug discovery technologies, compare options, check customer feedback, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Protein StructureProtein structure refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of amino acids in proteins, determining their function. Understanding protein structure is key in drug discovery, enzymology, and molecular biology. Explore protein structure analysis tools in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.

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Sygnature Discovery acquires Peak Proteins to strengthen its drug discovery capabilities