Working with us – 
Small molecule drug discovery 

CSIRO supports early-stage drug 
discovery, focussing on target biology, 
synthetic and medicinal chemistry, 
in vitro and in vivo testing and process 
development for up-scale manufacturing 

Our capabilities include:

• stem cell biology, virology 
and immunology.
• protein production, structural biology 
and biophysical, biochemical and cell 
biology assays. 
• screening libraries, synthetic organic 
and medicinal chemistry, drug delivery 
and process development.


We work across a range of therapeutic 
areas including oncology, infectious 
disease, autoimmune conditions, 
vascular disease, ocular disease, 
parasitic infections and pain.

Support for SMEs

CSIRO offers start-ups and SMEs 
opportunities to initiate and faciliate 
their R&D programs through access to 
our world-class facilities and researchers. 
We also offer matched funding support 
and training and can help you navigate 
the research ecosystem. 

Case study: Cancer Therapeutics CRC(CTx)

Over 13 years through the Cancer Therapeutics Cooperative Research Centre 
(CRC), CSIRO contributed to development of globally recognised Australian 
small molecule anticancer drug discovery projects, resulting in: 

• new anticancer drugs in clinical trials.
• start-up of new Australian biotech companies.
• financial returns from licensing deals which continue to support Australia’s 
drug discovery industry.


The CRC brought together biology target expertise and drug discovery 
capabilities from leading medical research institutes and universities together 
with commercial acumen from industry. CSIRO provided capabilities in protein 
production, biophysics as well as the structural biology that underpinned much 
of the IP developed between 2014 and 2020.

CSIRO continues to work with companies aiming to find cures for cancer.






Drug discovery

Drug development

Target 
identification

Preclinical testing

Clinical trials

Target 
identification

in vivo target 
biology and 
validation

in vitro target 
biology & 
validation

CSIRO

SMEs/Pharma

Academia/SMEs

 Lead discovery and optimisation

Target protein 
construct 
design

Process development 
& scale up

Wildtype (wt) 
& knockout (ko)
cell lines

Protein 
expression & 
purification

SPR/biophysics 
development & 
testing 

Biochemical assay 
development & 
testing

Bespoke cell assay 
development & 
testing
efficacy 
cytotoxicity 
target engagement 
oncology 
immunology 
immuno-oncology 
psychoactives 
anti-microbials 
anti-inflammatories

Compound 
& fragment 
libraries 

High-throughput 
screen support & 
tech transfer

in vivo testing 
efficacy safety 
target specifity 
animal models

Bioconjugation 
theranostics 
drug conjugates

Structural 
biology /
modelling 

Med chem support/design, synthesis 
optimisation, analysis/characterisation 
formulation, compound logistics

Target validation

Market analysis, 
business 
development & 
commercialisation

Working with us – 
Our capabilities in small molecule drug discovery and development