What we do matters
Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) is a national Life Sciences service that reshapes drug discovery for patient benefit by transforming the best of UK science into better treatments. We de-risk and disperse new technologies, make biotech companies ‘Fit to Fund’ and run collaborative international R&D platforms.
Our interventions work. We have helped almost 300 companies raise more than £1.24bn of R&D investment and get new medicines and technologies to market.
How we do it
We support drug R&D innovators by putting our world-class science and industry expertise, state-of-the-art technologies and laboratories at their service. The technology risks we take, the advice we give and the capital we help them access accelerates their innovation, supports business growth, and improves patient outcomes. In short, we make their every move count.
Why we do it
We know high-risk science is hard and that success is team-dependant. Our exceptional people use their skills and experience to reduce this risk for our companies and for patients worldwide. They support entrepreneurial scientists at the frontier of drug discovery, turning their ideas into life-changing treatments for patients and game-changing productivity breakthroughs for the sector.
How it works
We are a private, commercially active not-for-profit company that is supported by a combination of grants and services and that reinvests profit back into the sector to drive its growth and innovation.
Co-funded by industry and government, we work with partners across the sector to de-risk inventive technologies, techniques and companies – making them adoptable and investable. Our work with UK SMEs has helped them raise more than £1bn and take products and services to market.
Where there is unmet patient need, we stimulate innovation and collaboration through our National Programmes, harnessing our global connections in biotech, academia, technology, charities, and pharma.
High-risk science is hard
Our team of scientists and strategists helps by asking the right questions at the right time. Only by understanding your needs can we ensure that the next move counts and that your idea has the greatest chance of success.
We excel in these capabilities:
We have deep expertise across therapeutic areas, including:
- Neuroscience
- Complex Medicines
- Experimental Medicine
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Infectious Disease
A National Life Sciences Service
We have a key role in connecting the Life Sciences sector to solve unmet patient need. Our ground-breaking work during the Covid-19 pandemic is testament to what we can do when the sector works together. We continue to drive collaborative drug discovery programmes that stimulate innovation and advance areas of complex disease.
Our National Programmes include:
- Psychiatry Consortium
- CF AMR Syndicate
- National Total-body PET Imaging Platform (NPIP)
- PACE
- Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre
Breakthroughs for patients and the sector
“MDC is focused on transforming great science into commercial breakthroughs and better treatments for patients. We share your ambition. Your success is our success.”
“That is why our skilled people, our labs, and our cutting-edge technology are here, ready and waiting, to turn your idea into a viable and investable vision of drug discovery. We stimulate innovation to address unmet patient need and help set out a clear route to commercialisation while absorbing risk and reducing delay.”
“We are a trusted partner. We have a strong track record, securing over £1.24bn of R&D investment for almost 300 SMEs and innovators. We offer deep insights into unmet patient need and market opportunities. We have exceptional connections in the Life Sciences sector, so you can make progress faster. Above all, we remain committed to driving game-changing breakthroughs and improving patients’ lives.”
“Partner with MDC and make sure every move counts.”
Professor Chris Molloy, CEO of Medicines Discovery Catapult
About the Innovate UK Catapult Network
The Innovate UK Catapult Network is focused on driving innovation and growth to benefit society, the economy and the environment. It supports businesses in transforming great ideas into valuable products and services at unprecedented levels. Established by Innovate UK, the Catapult Network is made up of nine world-leading technology and innovation centres with more than 65 national locations. They work with small, medium, and large businesses to understand the challenges they face, develop and test new ideas, and improve their business performance. Each Catapult creates, commercialises, adopts and diffuses innovation to accelerate business and market growth and drive positive change.
About Medicines Discovery Catapult
Medicines Discovery Catapult is based at Alderley Park in Cheshire, UK. The team of over 150 scientists and strategists is led by a highly skilled and engaged Executive team and Board with an international reputation for driving scientific breakthroughs in the sector. MDC was established by Innovate UK in 2016 as part of the Innovate UK Catapult Network.