Drug Discovery Centre Launch Springboards Innovation

With serial inventor Prof Kelly Chibale at the helm as its Director, the H3-D Drug Discovery and Development Centre was launched officially on 7 April 2011. The centre is the first of its kind in Africa! It is set to dramatically enhance capabilities in the early stages of the drug discovery innovation chain on which it focuses. Large pharma is increasingly turning to universities to now play in this important space.

As Dr Anthony Wood, Senior Vice President and Head of Worldwide Medicinal Chemistry for Pfizer, said in his capacity as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of H3-D at the launch function, the centre's location in Cape Town draws on many assets in its local environment: disease expertise, chemistry expertise as well as clinical experience with the disease coupled with access to patients - key ingredients for successful drug discovery. Dr Timothy Wells, Chief Scientific Officer of Medicines for Malaria Venture added that "learnings on malaria will be transferable to other infectious diseases". He also mentioned that the strong South African Government buy-in is noteworthy and that the centre will harness the African approach to natural products and traditional knowledge. The DVC, Prof Danie Visser highlighted the strong synergies with UCT's Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IIDMM).

The Centre is augmented by a Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) - funded platform that provides key personnel and equipment. MMV, who have agreed to provide co-funding of R20 million with TIA, have played a very significant role in the creation of the centre. Prof Chibale remarked that drug discovery is a multidisciplinary activity and the UCT Drug Discovery Signature Theme laid the foundation for H3-D and the DST-funded SARChI Chair in Drug Discovery that he holds "really allowed time to contribute to drug discovery in South Africa". An industry sabbatical at Pfizer's facility in Sandwich, UK, opened his eyes to the real requirements for successful drug discovery.

The target-like logo speaks to "drug targets" and the H3-D to the "holistic" approach that is required for "Drug", "Discovery" and "Development".