CANCER specialists have highlighted the potential to use technology developed by a pioneering Glasgow firm in the fight against the illness.

The renowned Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute in Glasgow has awarded DeepMatter a contract to supply its DigitalGlassware system for use in the drug discovery process.

DigitalGlassware has been developed to allow chemists to record and store huge amounts of data about experiments online so that they can be shared with others on the internet.

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The Beatson Institute’s drug discovery unit is expected to use the technology to share its research output with chemistry specialists it is working with in China.

“ The use of DigitalGlassware means the Drug Discovery Unit will be able to share its cutting-edge chemistry across locations, so that work is not needlessly duplicated nor time and money wasted, and ultimately so new discoveries might be made faster,” said DeepMatter.

The contract provides a vote of confidence in the potential of DigitalGlassware from an institute with a global reputation.

Justin Bower, Joint Head of the Drug Discovery Unit and Head of Chemistry at the institute, said: “DeepMatter’s technology is some of the most innovative we have seen to date and we look forward to working with them to test its capabilities.”

He added: “We know that improved reproducibility in our work, particularly when achieved across multiple sites, will lead to enhanced productivity and a faster speed of discovery.”

The award could help put the work of DeepMatter in the international spotlight, although the firm remains a relative minnow.

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The Glasgow university spin out employs 21 people in the city.

It is listed on the Aim exchange, with a market capitalization of around £17 million.

Chief executive Mark Warne reckons DigitalGlassware has the potential to transform the chemistry industry.

He said: “The difficulty in consistently reproducing quality chemistry globally is an issue that continues to plague chemists.”

The company has received recognition from other prominent players in the wider chemistry sector in recent months.

In February DeepMatter agreed a collaboration deal with the University of Nottingham, which will use DigitalGlassware in its teaching work. Leeds university decided to use DigitalGlasware in support of efforts to speed up the development of new chemical products.

In December DeepMatter launched a collaboration with pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca.

Mr Warne has highlighted the advantages of basing DeepMatter in Glasgow, where it can tap into a pool of graduates with skills in relevant areas such as software development and artificial intelligence.

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The business was spun out of Glasgow university in 2014 by Lee Cronin, who is its Regius Professor of Chemistry.

Mr Cronin stepped down from the board and joined DeepMatter's advisory committee in April last year.

The value of DeepMatter’s contract with the Beatson Institute and Cancer Research UK’s commercialisation and development arm was not disclosed.

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