ApconiX: From start-up to global leader at Alderley Park

ApconiX was founded in 2015 by three former AstraZeneca scientists, Professor Ruth Roberts, Dr Richard Knight and Dr Michael Morton, with a shared ambition to combine deep scientific knowledge with practical industry experience. Their goal was to make world-class nonclinical safety expertise available to organisations of all sizes, helping customers bring safer medicines to patients faster.

Starting with a small team at Alderley Park, they found an environment designed to support science-led businesses from day one. Flexible laboratory and office space, access to shared technical facilities and the presence of a growing life sciences community allowed ApconiX to focus on delivering high-quality science while scaling sustainably.

How the Bruntwood SciTech ecosystem fuelled their growth

ApconiX began with just a handful of experts and a clear focus on toxicology and ion channel research. Since then, it has grown from 900 sq ft to more than 4,000 sq ft. Today, the company employs with more than 100 nonclinical safety specialists working across discovery and clinical development phases, with around 60% of its business international.

Being based at Alderley Park has supported that growth at every stage. As one of the first to join the Alderley Park Accelerator, ApconiX gained access to tailored business support and mentoring through Bruntwood SciTech’s Innovation and Growth team. The Accelerator helped the founders refine their strategy, strengthen their commercial model and build the confidence to scale.

“Being part of the Alderley Park ecosystem has shaped the trajectory of our business. From the Accelerator through to our current facilities, we’ve had access to the right support at every stage. It’s given us the confidence to scale internationally while staying connected to a community that understands and strengthens our science.”

Michael Morton, Director and Co-Founder, ApconiX

Shaping the future of drug safety

ApconiX continues to grow its international customer base and expand its research and consulting capabilities. Recognition through both the Queen’s Award and King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade and The 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation reflects its outstanding contribution to science and UK exports.

The business remains focused on advancing innovation in nonclinical safety, investing in new assays and technologies that improve how medicines are developed and tested. Its senior scientists play an active role in advancing discovery toxicology, regularly contributing to events such as DiscoTox (Discovery Toxicology) — a leading conference hosted at Alderley Park with support from the Bruntwood SciTech team.

Alderley Park continues to provide an ideal base for that work: a collaboration environment, specialist facilities and a community of peers that enable ApconiX to stay at the forefront of global drug safety science.

Find out more about Alderley Park