Saffron Walden, UK and Allschwil, Switzerland; 23 April 2009 - BioFocus DPI, a leading provider of gene-to-drug candidate discovery services, announces that it has added 350,000 new compounds to its diverse screening library. Through these additional compounds, BioFocus DPI’s high-throughput screening platform now includes more than 900,000 unique compounds.

The 350,000 new compounds were selected to complement BioFocus DPI’s existing diverse screening library. By applying stringent lead-likeness criteria in its selection process, BioFocus DPI has enhanced the quality and diversity of its high-throughput screening library, offering a broader chemical space for customers’ hit finding campaigns.

“Combined with an extensive range of knowledge-based methodologies, this updated screening library allows BioFocus DPI customers to select optimal screening sets for their hit finding campaigns,” said Kate Hilyard, VP Biological Sciences. “This improved screening set, combined with leading-edge target class and assay development expertise, translates into one of the most powerful screening platforms in the industry.”

About BioFocus DPI

BioFocus DPI aims to expand its partners’ drug pipelines by accelerating the gene-to-drug candidate discovery process. This is achieved through a comprehensive discovery platform, which includes target discovery in human primary cells, focused as well as diverse compound libraries, in vitro and cell-based screening, structural biology, medicinal chemistry, ADME/PK services, supported by unique chemogenomic and informatics tools, and compound library acquisition, storage and distribution services. As the service division of Galapagos, BioFocus DPI has over 250 employees in four countries worldwide.