Preclinical Oncology Services Limited (PRECOS), a leading pre-clinical research and development service provider with a specific focus on oncology, has signed a significant service agreement with a leading global pharmaceutical company Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. (Janssen). The global contract will see PRECOS provide clinical tumour material, tumour model development, target validation and drug efficacy work to support Janssen's oncology drug discovery, development and biomarker programmes. 

PRECOS was launched as a spin-off from the University of Nottingham, UK in August 2010. The master services agreement is a consolidation of the working relationship between the two companies, which was first established with the University of Nottingham over five years ago. 

The newly formed company combines the innovation of one of the Country's leading universities with the scientific background and expertise of multi-disciplinary scientists. This places it in an optimal position to deliver specialist services, backed by significant industry expertise and cutting-edge technology, to help both pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies develop new anti-cancer drugs. PRECOS offers patient-relevant models which closely reflect the patient situation for each aspect of cancer progression encompassing pre-cancerous lesions, primary tumours and metastasis. 

Chief Scientific Officer of PRECOS, Professor Sue Watson, comments: "This global contract further strengthens the long term relationship between PRECOS and Janssen and consolidates PRECOS' evolution from a primarily academic background into an ambitious commercial entity, offering significant scientific expertise and delivering highly specialist services in the development of new anti-cancer drugs." 

Dr. Martin Page, Vice President, Head of Global Oncology Research, Janssen Research & Development, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. comments:

"Our agreement with PRECOS is a natural extension of our long-standing relationship with the University of Nottingham; we look forward to continuing to build on our past successes." 

For further information please visit www.precos.co.uk