Argenta Discovery Ltd announced a collaboration with the Japanese pharmaceutical company Teijin. Under the terms of the agreement, Argenta will exploit a range of approaches to deliver an optimised lead series against a cardiovascular disease target.

Aiming for a significant increase in potency, solubility and selectivity, Argenta will draw on its expertise in medicinal chemistry, synthetic chemistry, computer-aided drug design and analytical chemistry. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Dr Anthony Baxter, Argenta's CEO, said: "The Japanese pharmaceutical sector has tremendous potential and Argenta is delighted to be working with Teijin. The collaboration not only underlines the quality of our integrated approach to lead optimisation, but also proves the value of having a presence in Japan."

Relationships with Teijin have also been facilitated by Professor AGM Barrett, Professor of Chemistry at Imperial College of Science, Medicine and Technology, London, and a non-executive director of Argenta Discovery. Professor Barrett was invited to lecture to Teijin scientists at the Teijin research centre, Tokyo, during a recent lecture tour of several research groups in Japan.