AI Magazine Issue 10 2018

16 Acquisition International - Issue 10 2018 ValiRx is a biotechnology oncology focused company specialising in developing novel treatments for cancer and associated biomarkers. Recently we profiled the firm and spoke to Dr Satu Vainikka to discover more about the exceptional services ValiRx provides. he principal activity of ValiRx is that of an oncology therapeutics and companion diagnostics development company. The group has undertaken to develop a novel and ground-breaking class of therapeutics across a number of fields in oncology and it currently has a portfolio of clinical and pre-clinical stage therapeutic projects. The company listed on the Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”) of the London Stock Exchange in October 2006. The company’s business strategy is to license or acquire technologies and early stage therapeutic compounds with solid scientific proofs of concept. The company develops these programmes and takes them through pre- clinical and then the clinical phases, at which stage, pharmaceutical companies historically look to acquire such programmes and take them through their last clinical trial phases and to market approval. The firm’s business is a very collaborative one and as such, their customers, clients, partners and collaborators are all interchangeable. They sell to big pharma; we commission technical expertise and they buy-in partner services alongside outsourcing their developmental work. With all the relationships, compliance and competency drives their decision making. Going into further detail about how ValiRx’s approach when undertaking a new project, Satu begins by explaining how the team ensure right from the start that risk is mitigated to be beneficial to all who are involved. Company: ValiRx plc Name: Dr Satu Vainikka Web Address: www.valirx.com Address: 16 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0BS Telephone:020 3008 4416 Making a Significant Contribution in Precision Medicine and Science T 1808AI53 “The success of the group’s programmes depends upon the quality of the design and the implementation of each programme, in addition to our partners and advisers involved and to that end, we always institute a rigorous partner and vendor selection process. Our approach when undertaking a new client or project is also to utilise a range of external scientific, regulatory and clinical experts to help guide our development programmes. ValiRx manages its clinical and regulatory risk by working closely with its external expert scientific, regulatory and clinical advisors and, where appropriate, seeking advice from regulatory authorities on the design of key development plans for its pre-clinical and clinical programmes.” As for the internal culture at ValiRx, Satu is keen to inform us of how the firm have cultivated an atmosphere which is conducive to a productive working environment. “As a small business, our staff have to be responsive and deal with a variety of issues that come through the door. I believe in a flat management structure, without hierarchy and where executives need to take their own entrepreneurial initiative, but also are willing to get their hands dirty, as needs must.” ValiRx’s business model and on-going strategy focuses on in-licensing early stage drugs and technologies from World-leading academic institutions, such as Cancer Research UK and Imperial College and maturing them to the point where they can be out-licensed to pharmaceutical partners or co-developed and taken to market. The model for biotechnology companies, like ValiRx, is to act as a specialised and experienced bridge between World-class academic science and big pharma, as pharmaceutical companies are facing an increasing need for novel, more precise and effective therapies across a number of indications. ValiRx strives to be in continuous discussions with these major players in the oncology field. Satu informs us of the challenges and opportunities the firm has faced throughout the years. “Industry and management demands can be challenging, particularly when there is constraint “As a small business, our staff have to be responsive and deal with a variety of issues that come through the door. I believe in a flat management structure, without hierarchy and where executives need to take their own entrepreneurial initiative, but also are willing to get their hands dirty, as needs must.”