Services Preclinical R&D Strategy

Life sciences R&D strategy

Q: Do you leverage experience from treating physicians in your analyses?

Yes. We interview key opinion leaders, including healthcare providers and other subject matter experts, to complement analyses as needed.

Advance preclinical R&D pipelines with clear, objective guidance for target and indication decisions.

Start the conversation

Focus your preclinical efforts

The right preclinical strategy sets the foundation for long-term success. We combine deep scientific expertise with structured decision frameworks to help companies reduce bias, streamline choices, and move R&D forward.

1.6 x 10⁸

combinatorial target-indication pairs

Terabytes

of biomarker datasets analyzed

>100K

NMEs tracked in our comprehensive database

Simultaneous target-indication search

For platform companies evaluating millions of target-indication combinations, making the right choice can be a daunting prospect. Our structured, science-driven methodology integrates scientific and non-scientific factors to confidently identify opportunities with the greatest potential for success.

Access whitepaper

Indication search & development strategy

Our systematic framework screens 21k+ indications, prioritizing those with the strongest biological rationale and development feasibility. We integrate factors like biomarker hypotheses and company-specific constraints to provide clear, data-driven R&D guidance.

Target identification

We integrate genetic, clinical, and commercial data to quickly filter and rank thousands of potential lead targets. Projects move from long-list generation to in-depth manual analyses by our PhD-trained consultants, with transparent exclusion and prioritization criteria to minimize missed opportunities while maximizing strategic alignment.

Preclinical R&D challenge

A mid-sized US biotech, historically focused on infectious disease, faced a late-stage failure. In response, leadership pivoted by in-licensing an early-stage asset targeting an orphan autoimmune disease. To complement ongoing clinical studies, the team needed meaningful preclinical insights on the molecule’s mode of action to refine plans and secure investor confidence.

Scitaris solution

We helped rapidly generate target and mode-of-action hypotheses through extensive literature research and KOL interviews. We designed and prioritized experiments to test each hypothesis and identified CROs and academic partners best suited to execute the studies.

Results

The company initiated our recommended studies, which generated promising signals. These were shared with investors and led to successful financing.

Rachel Lane

CBO, Belharra Therapeutics (formerly Principal, Versant Ventures)

Scitaris is a tremendous partner supporting multiple of our portfolio companies on critical strategic questions. With their unique combination of scientific rigor, drug development expertise, custom-made databases, and a seamlessly integrating, flexible working style, we can recommend Scitaris to anyone looking for scientifically driven, high-quality strategic advice.

Oliver Schlüter

Managing Director/CFO, Novaliq

The Scitaris team provided a highly professional and in-depth scientific analysis of promising mode of actions and drug candidates for treating diabetic retinopathy. The project was performed in a highly collaborative and solution-oriented spirit and is of strategic value to Novaliq.

John Adams

SVP, Discovery Biology at Iambic Therapeutics (former Head of Research at Arena Pharma)

I have had the pleasure of working with the Scitaris team on multiple projects for multiple companies.

In every case, my colleagues and I have been extremely impressed with the collaboration process and the product. From corporate level strategy to detailed scientific assessments, their team provided clear, decision-quality advice and durable content across a broad area of research and development interests.

Wolfgang Fischer

COO, Affimed

Over the years, we have fostered a long-standing relationship with the Scitaris team as they hit the sweet spot of deep scientific understanding, industry experience and strategic thinking in our highly complex and fast-paced world of Immuno-Oncology.

They have supported us on various questions ranging from corporate and business development strategy to asset-level indication strategy. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone with pressing questions in the realm of R&D strategy.

FAQs

What steps in a drug development program do you support?

We support clients throughout the preclinical and clinical development process. For example, we help shape indication strategies, design preclinical experiments and clinical trials, refine biomarker and endpoint choices, and prepare decision-ready materials for boards and regulators.

What is the turnaround time for a typical engagement?

Timeframes vary according to the scope, but typical turnaround time for an in-depth analysis of a single target, asset, or indication is less than a week, while a fully fledged lifecycle development strategy can take around two months. Our research processes are optimized for us to move as quickly as possible without sacrificing depth or accuracy.

How quickly can you start a project?

The time from the client’s decision to proceed to project start depends on capacity but is typically within a couple of weeks.

Do you leverage experience from treating physicians in your analyses?