Metrion Biosciences was formed in 2015 through a management buyout of the research division of Xention Limited and its ion channel collaboration programmes. In 2002-2005, the Xention team had pioneered the use of automated patch clamp electrophysiology in drug discovery, and subsequently developed substantial expertise in cardiac ion channels, leading to the clinical development of potassium channel inhibitors as novel treatments for atrial fibrillation in collaboration with Servier.

Following the creation of Metrion Biosciences in 2015, the extensive ion channel expertise of the research team was re-focussed by Dr Marc Rogers to provide a specialist contract research service. Since then, the team has continued to grow through the recruitment of additional skilled ion channel and CRO experts and today, Metrion is a leading centre of excellence in ion channel biology and drug discovery.

Dr Andrew Southan joined Metrion in 2016 from Charles River Laboratories where he was responsible for the UK ion channel services team. In 2017, Andy was promoted to Chief Operating Officer and then, in 2019, to Chief Executive Officer. He has led the Company since that time and continues to strengthen the Company’s management and scientific team.

For the first 5 years, Metrion was financed primarily from operating profits and limited investment from management and staff. In 2018, the Company raised a small amount of external investment from o2h Ventures, a Cambridge based fund, and the Syndicate Room platform. In 2021, Gresham House Ventures led a £2.7m new equity investment in Metrion Biosciences to enable investment in new laboratories and instrumentation, expansion of cell biology and development of international business development.

Today, the Metrion team has developed a world-wide reputation for providing high quality drug discovery services for ion channel targets to customers on a fee-for-service or collaboration basis. Metrion is also a leading provider of cardiac safety profiling, cardiac translational assays and neuronal translational assays.

Our state of the art laboratory facility is located at Granta Park, the largest research park in Cambridge UK, situated at the heart of the Cambridge Biocluster. The Metrion team takes pride in providing a knowledgeable, collaborative and flexible service to our customers.

In the video, Dr Andy Southan presents an overview of Metrion’s services and expertise.