Vernalis plc was a
UK-based
pharmaceuticals
A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and rel ...
business headquartered in
Winnersh
Winnersh is a large suburban village and civil parish in the borough of Wokingham in Berkshire, England. The village is located around northwest of Wokingham town centre and around southeast of central Reading. It is roughly bounded by the ...
, with research in
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
, and with a
Berwyn, PA
Berwyn is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The population was 3,775 at the 2020 census. The area is part of the Philadelphia Main Line suburbs.
History
At times, the village has been called Cocheltown, Reesevill ...
,
US-based commercial operation, Vernalis Therapeutics Inc., focusing on the sales and marketing of slow-release formulations of prescription cough and cold medicines. Tuzistra XR (
codeine
Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, ''Papaver somniferum''. It is typically use ...
polistirex/
chlorpheniramine
Chlorphenamine (CP, CPM), also known as chlorpheniramine, is an antihistamine used to treat the symptoms of allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever). It is taken by mouth. The medication takes effect within two hours and lasts ...
polistirex) was the first launched product which arose from this strategy, however sales did not reach expectations. As a result, the strategy was abandoned and the company was put up for sale. Vernalis plc was listed on
AIM until its acquisition by Ligand Holdings (UK) Ltd, a subsidiary of
Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (
NASDAQ
The Nasdaq Stock Market () (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Stock Market) is an American stock exchange based in New York City. It is the most active stock trading venue in the US by volume, and ranked second ...
:LGND) on 10 October 2018.
Vernalis plc (formerly known as
British Biotech plc prior to 1 October 2003), arose from two company mergers. The first merger, with the privately held
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
-based RiboTargets Holdings plc, was completed in April 2003, and brought a
structure-based drug discovery capability focused on novel cancer targets. The second merger, with
Vernalis Group, was completed in September 2003 and brought a marketed product,
frovatriptan
Frovatriptan, sold under the brand name Frova, is a triptan drug developed by Vernalis for the treatment of migraine headaches and for short term prevention of menstrual migraine. The product is licensed to Endo Pharmaceuticals in North Americ ...
, a clinical portfolio and drug discovery programmes focused on
CNS disorders.
Its successful
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
,
UK-based research facility, with expertise in
fragment and
structure-based drug discovery, continues as
Vernalis Research
Vernalis Research develops and applies fragment and structure-based methods to drug discovery, and has generated cell active lead compounds and development candidates against biological targets in oncology, neurodegeneration, anti-infectives ...
. The company is engaged in research collaborations with pharmaceuticals industry partners, and maintains a pipeline of commercially partnered and non-partnered drug candidates in pre-clinical and
clinical development
Drug development is the process of bringing a new pharmaceutical drug to the market once a lead compound has been identified through the process of drug discovery. It includes preclinical research on microorganisms and animals, filing for reg ...
.
References
2003 establishments in the United Kingdom
Defunct pharmaceutical companies
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