What is "astex"

Astex Therapeutics was a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of drugs in oncology and other areas. Astex was founded in 1999 by Sir Tom Blundell, Chris Abell & Harren Jhoti, and is located in Cambridge, England.

The company's research efforts focus on utilization of a proprietary "drug discovery engine" dubbed Pyramid. Astex has also solved the structure of two key cytochrome P450 isoenzymes involved in drug metabolism, 2C9 & 3A4, which the company hopes will help in optimizing the pharmacokinetic properties and safety of their lead compounds.

Astex Therapeutic's first drug candidate, a cell cycle inhibitor, entered Phase I clinical trials in 2005. Since that time they have created eight drugs that have progressed into the clinical stage of development.