Arachnova
www.arachnova.comArachnova Limited identifies and patents proprietary new uses for existing compounds, and validates them using a carefully orchestrated outsourced strategy.
It is a privately held largely financed by Renaissance Ventures LP, a specialized European biomedical equity fund.
Arachnova has an experienced organization and a strong intellectual property portfolio based on over 30 filed patent applications, with numerous clinical development compounds. Its portfolio includes the successful Phase II clinical development of a novel treatment in dermatitis free from the disadvantages of the existing steroidal and immunosuppressive agents
Staff
 David Cavalla, MA PhD, Founder, commercial, general managementFollowing his studies at Cambridge University and post-doctoral research in Washington, USA, David Cavalla joined Glaxo Group Research, where he was involved with the research projects that led to the marketed drugs Zofran and Imigran. Subsequently, as Head of Biosciences at Napp Research Centre, he initiated the PDE4 inhibitor project and directed the research strategy for asthma. This work, from discovery to clinic, was the first example of a successful research project carried out using an extended enterprise strategy, completed with the use of externally contracted resources co-ordinated by a small team of multi-disciplinary project managers. David is the author of Modern Strategy for Preclinical R&D - Towards the Virtual Research Company, published by John Wiley. He has been closely involved with the UK Society for Medicines Research, for which he is past-Chairman, and interested in the multidisciplinary aspects of drug discovery and development. As a founder of Arachnova, he has been a pioneer in the strategy of drug repurposing as a means to substantially improved R&D times and costs, with minimised risks in the discovery of novel medicines. |  Robert Gristwood, PhD, Founder, scientific, technicalRobert Gristwood is an internationally recognised biologist and senior manager with over 29 years experience in industry (Pfizer, SmithKline, Almirall and the UK biotech company Chiroscience). At Chiroscience (now part of Celltech) he initiated the PDE asthma programme (licensed to Schering Plough) and led the Chirocaine anaesthetic project to clinical proof of principle. Robert made a pivotal representation to the FDA on Chirocaine in 1999 that led to US product approval. It is now marketed globally. Recently he acted as an expert witness in a Viagra class patent case in Europe. |
Contact details
St. John's Innovation Centre
Cambridge
CB4 0WS
England
Tel: +44 (0)1223 722793
Fax +44 (0)1223 722577
Cambridge
CB4 0WS
England
Tel: +44 (0)1223 722793
Fax +44 (0)1223 722577
