CAMBRIDGE COMBINATORIAL APPOINTS DAVID TAPOLCZAY AS RESEARCH AND DIRECTOR
Cambridge Combinatorial, which specialises in the provision of world class combinatorial chemistry services, has appointed David Tapolczay as Research Director with effect from 2 April 1998.
David Tapolczay joins Cambridge Combinatorial from Zeneca Agrochemicals, where he was Co-head of Chemistry at the Jealotts Hill Research facility, where he ran a department of 60 chemists on a research budget of approximately £4 million. Reporting directly to Zeneca Agrochemicals' Director of Research and Development, David and his counterpart were responsible for all of the company's chemical research and early development activities, including discovery, physical chemistry and computational chemistry.
Prior to joining Zeneca, David spent six years at Glaxo, in Research and Development. Initially appointed at Glaxo as a Research Leader in Chemical Development, he progressed rapidly to become Senior Research Manager, where he was responsible for the rapid and efficient development of a number of Glaxo's target compounds in different therapeutic areas. This required timely involvement of Glaxo's manufacturing services and all departments involved with drug development. In addition he managed the interface between Glaxo's Chemical Development Division and academically-based research and development facilities. He was the inaugural Chairman on the "Link Asymmetric Synthesis" core steering committee and he was a member of the synthetic chemistry college of the EPSRC, founder member of the EPSRC catalysis initiative and member of the Chemistry Programme Evaluation Committee.
Having completed an honours degree in Chemistry and a PhD in the organic synthesis of natural products at the University of Southampton and gained post-doctoral experience at Oxford University, he joined GD Searle as a team leader in the cardiovascular research area, working as a medicinal chemist.
Allan Marchington, Chief Executive of Cambridge Combinatorial said:
"We are absolutely delighted that David will be joining us as Research Director. He has a vast network of contacts in the area of chemical development and brings invaluable experience of both the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries with him to Cambridge Combinatorial. David also has a great entrepreneurial spirit which is right for the future development of the company."
David Tapolczay commented:
"This is a wonderful opportunity to join a dynamic and growing company. Cambridge Combinatorial already has some unique technology and great projects with quality biopharmaceutical companies that I am eager to become involved with. The team is totally committed to providing high quality combinatorial chemistry services to their clients and I look forward to working closely with them in meeting this aim."
For further information, please contact:
Dr Allan Marchington,
Chief Executive,
Cambridge Combinatorial
Tel: +1223 722400
Miranda Kavanagh,
Director,
Citigate BioCommunications
Tel: +44 171 282 8000
Notes to editors
Cambridge Combinatorial Limited
Cambridge Combinatorial Limited specialises in the design, production and supply of
chemical compounds for drug discovery. Headed by Dr Allan Marchington, Chief Executive,
and Dr Ryszard Kobylecki, Technical Director, both ex-Pfizer medicinal chemists, the
company was established with a £2 million investment from Oxford Molecular Group plc, the
management, founding scientists and the University of Cambridge (through its intellectual
property company, Cambridge University Technical Services Limited). The Cambridge-based
company employs recent advances in combinatorial and medicinal chemistry, to supply the
pharmaceutical and emerging biotechnology industries with quality targeted lead structures
for their drug discovery programmes.