Orbit Discovery

Orbit Discovery Ltd. is a biotechnology company headquartered in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom and was founded in 2015 by Graham Ogg and Terry Rabbitts.

The company offers a DNA-encoded peptide display technology which was developed at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine. Peptides are biological molecules that like proteins are made up of amino acids, but peptides are smaller, consisting of 2-50 amino acids.

The in vitro display technology links randomized peptide sequences to small beads along with the DNA that encodes them. A DNA library is constructed coding for a scaffold and random or semi-randomised peptide sequence. After in vitro transcription and translation, each bead in the library displays several thousand copies of its specific peptide. Orbit technology can be used to screen for cell surface target binding.

Orbit Discovery - DNA Encoded Peptide Display

Orbit's peptide display technology supports the presentation of natural amino acids, non-natural amino acids, linear peptides, constrained peptides and peptides modified after translation. The company's business model is to establish internal discovery programmes, which will be out-licensed, and collaborative programs with industry and academia.

On November 27, 2015 Orbit Discovery completed their seed funding round with £100 in funding from Oxford Technology Management.

On May 23, 2018 Orbit Discovery closed a £6.9M Series A Financing. The round was led by Oxford Sciences Innovation, joined by new investors RT Ventures, Borealis Ventures, Perivoli Innovations, along with further investment from all existing investors and Oxford University, Borealis Managing Partner Phil Ferneau and Oxford Investment Consultants' Partner James Mallinson became Board of Directors at Orbit Discovery.