Liverpool-based drug discovery and development company Redx Pharma is to open a new research and development facility at AstraZeneca’s Alderley Park site in Cheshire.
The new venture, Redx Anti-Infectives Ltd, will create 119 high value science jobs at the site, establishing a new team to develop drugs combatting resistance to antibiotics and new medicines to tackle viral infections.
Redx Anti-Infectives begins operations at the end of April 2013 supported by a grant of £4.7 million from the UK Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF).
Dr Neil Murray, chief executive of Redx Pharma, commented: “The World Health Organisation has identified drug resistance, particularly in the area of antibiotics, as one of the most pressing human health concerns globally. The fresh thinking and original approach of Redx Anti-Infectives will help create effective solutions to these critical problems. Redx is a discovery engine for global pharma and it is innovative and agile companies like ours that can help the industry adapt to a new model of research and development where there is more willingness to outsource some of the challenges involved in creating new proprietary medicines. At Redx, our methods have already uncovered commercial potential that might otherwise have been missed and our approach helps partners to bring new medicines to market faster.”
“Whilst our headquarters remain in Liverpool and we have ambitious plans to grow our business and create high value science posts in the city, at the same time we recognise that the facilities at Alderley Park are world class and enable us to move quickly in expanding this key new part of our business. We will be working closely with our colleagues at AstraZeneca, who made a compelling commercial case to attract us to Alderley Park. We look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration.”
Clive Morris, AstraZeneca Vice President, Research & Development said: “We are delighted to welcome Redx to Alderley Park, which is an important first step in our ambition to secure a sustainable future for the site. We will continue to seek further opportunities to attract other innovation-driven companies and, wherever possible, build on the existing bioscience expertise and world class facilities available at Alderley Park.”
