Heptares Therapeutics announced its plans to relocate to a new facility at Granta Park, Cambridge, UK. The move to new premises follows Heptares' expansion in recent years and is intended to support the company's plans for progressing to market its own products derived from its G protein-coupled receptor drug discovery and development activities, as well as to continue advancing its pipeline of projects partnered with pharmaceutical companies.
The 35,000 square foot facility will house all of the company's UK R&D team, with growth of its Zurich operation continuing uninterrupted. Heptares plans to move to the new facility in the second half of 2018, by which time it expects to employ over 130 staff focused on discovery and clinical development of novel small molecules and biologics derived from its unique GPCR-focused structure-based drug design platform.
Heptares' new facility will be named The Steinmetz Building as a tribute to Michael Steinmetz, who passed away in 2016. Steinmetz, through US venture capital firm Clarus Ventures, was a crucial early investor in Heptares, and made a significant contribution to the development and success of the company in his role as a Board Director between 2007 and 2015.