ChemOvation

ChemOvation was a UK-based drug discovery company specializing in medicinal chemistry and lead optimization services. Founded in 2002 by former scientists from Novartis, the company provided high-quality chemistry expertise to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. In 2006, it was acquired by Hutchison China MediTech (now known as HUTCHMED) to bolster their internal drug discovery capabilities and establish a presence in the UK. The acquisition integrated ChemOvation's medicinal chemistry platform into HUTCHMED's global R&D operations, focusing on the development of novel small molecule therapeutics. Before its acquisition, ChemOvation operated as a contract research organization, supporting various drug discovery programs through its expertise in library synthesis and scaffold design. The company's facilities in Horsham served as a key research hub for HUTCHMED's early-stage oncology and immunology programs.