As pharmaceutical R&D services increasingly rely on structural biology and AI-driven platforms, contract research organizations are consolidating capabilities to offer more integrated solutions. Pharmaron Beijing Co., Limited has entered into an agreement to acquire 82.54% equity interest in Biortus Biosciences Co., Ltd., a CRO specializing in structural biology services.
Key Points
- The acquisition aims to enhance Pharmaron’s capabilities in structural biology, complex protein production and analysis, and structure-based drug design (SBDD) to support biopharmaceutical clients. Biortus provides structural biology data through protein production, X-ray crystallography, and cryo-EM structure analysis.
- Biortus operates an AI/ML-based computational platform that uses experimental datasets from its technical platforms to create what the company describes as a closed-loop optimization system from computational design to experimental verification.
- Pharmaron, founded in 2004, operates as a pharmaceutical R&D services provider with over 22,000 employees across facilities in China, the UK, and the US. The company offers services spanning drug discovery, preclinical through clinical development, and manufacturing across multiple therapeutic modalities.
- The acquisition is expected to close upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
The combined entity plans to leverage Pharmaron’s existing client relationships and operational infrastructure to expand Biortus’s structural biology services to a broader customer base.
The Data
- Pharmaron is acquiring 82.54% equity interest in Biortus Biosciences Co., Ltd. and its affiliates.
- Pharmaron employs over 22,000 people and has been operating since 2004.
- The company is publicly traded with stock codes 300759.SZ on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and 3759.HK on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Industry Context
Furthermore, the proprietary and rich data provided by Biortus will further enhance Pharmaron’s ability to explore AI-based applications to improve the efficiency of drug discovery services.
Dr. Hua Yang, Chief Scientific Officer of Pharmaron
Biortus has built its operations around complex target protein production, X-ray crystallography, and cryo-EM structure capabilities, providing what it describes as gene-to-protein-to-structure services for structure-based drug design. The company’s approach combines these experimental techniques with computational tools for analyzing protein complexes and designing new structures.
Pharmaron operates what it describes as an end-to-end, fully integrated service platform covering small molecules, large molecules, and cell and gene therapy products. The company provides research, development, and manufacturing services throughout the drug development process. Dr. Jiaquan Wu, General Manager of Biortus, stated that the acquisition represents recognition of Biortus’s platform in structural biology and protein science.
The announcement positions the acquisition as a way to enhance synergies between structural biology services and Pharmaron’s existing bioscience and biologics discovery offerings.
