Vernalis plc was a
UK-based
pharmaceuticals
Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, 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 ...
business headquartered in
Winnersh, with research in
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
, and with a
Berwyn, PA,
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 orally (by mouth). The medication takes effect within two hour ...
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) is an American stock exchange based in New York City. It is the most active stock trading venue in the U.S. by volume, and ranked second on the list ...
: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 List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
-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, a clinical portfolio and drug discovery programmes focused on
CNS disorders.
Its successful
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
,
UK-based research facility, with expertise in
fragment and
structure-based drug discovery, continues as
Vernalis Research. 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 regul ...
.
References
2003 establishments in the United Kingdom
Defunct pharmaceutical companies
{{UK-company-stub