20th May 2010

Sygnature Chemical Services Ltd., a leading UK-based provider of premium discovery chemistry services to the global pharmaceutical industry, today announced that it has been selected by the University of Leicester to support a Wellcome Trust Seeding Drug Discovery Initiative (SDDI)-funded research programme. Under the terms of the agreement, Sygnature will provide synthetic, medicinal and computational chemistry services to help Leicester identify new treatments for the serious neurological handicaps associated with invasive pneumococcal diseases.

“Sygnature has been chosen by the University of Leicester to provide discovery chemistry support to this important research project,” said Dr Simon Hirst, Sygnature’s CEO. “For the past 18 months, Sygnature has been supplying medicinal chemistry resource and expertise into a Wellcome Trust SDDI-funded project for another UK university. This has advanced well, and Sygnature’s selection for a second Wellcome Trust-funded project is a testament to the successful application of our know-how and expertise in medicinal and computational chemistry. I am confident that Sygnature will be able to make a significant contribution to the University of Leicester’s pneumococcal diseases programme.”

About Sygnature Chemical Services Ltd
Sygnature Chemical Services, founded in 2004, is a leading Nottingham, UK-based provider of premium discovery chemistry services (medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry, array/focused library and computational chemistry). The company delivers high value and quality to its clients by applying in-house scientific expertise and ‘state-of-the-art’ technologies to the discovery of novel drug candidates. Sygnature’s team of 34 industry-experienced chemists (75% with PhDs) undertakes key elements of the drug discovery process, such as hit identification, hit-to-lead and lead optimisation, to afford novel compounds in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner. We work closely with our clients’ scientists to accelerate their drug candidates into development and thereby increase the value of their R&D discovery programmes. Over the past five years, Sygnature has established an enviable reputation and excellent track record of success with an international client base. For more information, visit www.sygnaturechem.com .

About the University of Leicester
The University of Leicester was founded in 1921 and received its Royal Charter in 1957. The University of Leicester is a leading UK University committed to international excellence through the creation of world changing research and high quality, inspirational teaching. Leicester was the THE University of the Year 2008-9. In awarding the title the judges cited Leicester’s ability to “evidence commitment to high quality, a belief in the synergy of teaching and research and a conviction that higher education is a power for good”. The University was, said the judges, "elite without being elitist". The University of Leicester is consistently in the top 20 of all UK national tables and is ranked in the top 5% of universities in the world by two international studies. For more information, visit http://www2.le.ac.uk/

About the Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust is a global charity dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. It supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. The Trust’s breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. It is independent of both political and commercial interests.
www.wellcome.ac.uk

Contacts:
Dr Simon Hirst
Chief Executive Officer
Sygnature Chemical Services Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0)115 941 5401
Email: s.hirst@sygnaturechem.com

Mr Ather Mirza
Director of the Press Office
University of Leicester
Tel: +44 (0)116 252 2415
Email:pressoffice@le.ac.uk

© 2010 Sygnature Chemical Services Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sygnature Chemical Services Ltd. is a company incorporated in England, with company number 05210563, whose registered office and principal place of business is at BioCity, Pennyfoot Street, Nottingham, NG1 1GF, United Kingdom.