discovery chemistry
Regulation, science and cost are converging. o2h and AstraZeneca are establishing a dedicated NewCo to industrialise non-animal models at speed — a co-creation model, not a vendor relationship.
Why now? Three forces are making NAMs the new standard
FDA Modernization Act 3.0 advanced through the US House in 2026, enforcing NAM adoption before human trials.
Scientific Maturity
Organ-chips, human iPSC assays and computational models now rival animal models in predictive power.
Ethical & Cost Pressure
Global pressure to reduce animal use is accelerating investment into humanrelevant, scalable alternatives.
Why o2h?
Proven track record Two AZ academic summits on NAMs in India; years of collaboration across chemistry, bio-analytical, IDD and AI
Assay industrialisation capability Demonstrated ability to scale key assays across
Cambridge and Ahmedabad
Innovation ecosystem
Venture fund, science park and IDD capability with extensive biotech reach
Collaborative mindset Co-creation built into the structure — not a transactional vendor relationship
NAM NewCo - proposed model o2h 80% majority equity
AZ 20% minority equity
£100k seed funding, pro-rata
AZ approval for CEO and board appointments
Access to venture capital, grants and licensing
Lighter-touch governance — faster decisions
Replicable model for other AZ innovation areas