Concept Life Sciences has appointed Dr Adam Davenport as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) to spearhead its integrated drug discovery offering for biotech and pharmaceutical partners.

Bringing over 25 years of hands-on experience in life sciences and partnership management, Dr Davenport’s appointment reinforces the company’s commitment to providing world-class scientific leadership to its collaborators. As an authority in his field, he has authored over 60 patents, publications and external presentations.

Most recently, Dr Davenport served as Chief Discovery Officer at Proxygen, where he led the development of molecular glue degraders. Prior to joining Proxygen, he led oncology-focused discovery collaborations at Dalriada Drug Discovery, where he served as Chief R&D Officer. His career is also highlighted by almost two decades at Evotec, where he rose to the position of Executive Vice President, Head of Molecular Discovery. He has a PhD in Organometallic Chemistry from the University of Leicester.

Dr Davenport is a seasoned "drug hunter" with an exceptional track record of moving complex programmes from initial concept through to clinical evaluation. He has successfully led the discovery of several clinical assets, including P2X3R antagonists, Eliapixant and Filopixant, which achieved phase IIa Proof-of-Concept in persistent chronic cough. He also discovered the Bradykinin B1R antagonist Fulimetibant that progressed into phase IIa trials for Diabetic Neuropathic Pain (DNP).

"We are delighted to welcome Adam to the team during this period of significant growth for Concept Life Sciences. His passion for science, track record in delivering clinical quality assets and proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams across the UK, Europe and the US, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our integrated discovery facilities and deliver valuable inflexion points for our global clients," said Jonathan Critchley, interim CEO, Concept Life Sciences.

As a pioneer in Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) and covalent drug discovery, Dr Davenport is an expert in innovative modalities. He has specialised knowledge in target classes such as GPCRs, ion channels, kinases and Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs). His expertise spans a wealth of therapy areas including pain, oncology, inflammation, women’s health, metabolic disorders and neuroscience.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr Adam Davenport, Chief Scientific Officer, said, "Concept Life Sciences has built an incredible reputation for scientific excellence and agile project execution. I’m excited to join such a talented team and look forward to supporting customers in effectively navigating the complexities of drug discovery across all modalities to bring the most effective life-changing therapies to patients more quickly."