Niche expertise and firm financial base key to success outside big pharma sphere, say bosses at thriving firm

There are opportunities outside the realm of big pharma for smaller firms looking to develop drugs in niche areas, according to one company which is doing just that.

Developing an unrivalled understanding of patient needs in that niche area and having the right support and funding in place throughout has been key to the growing success of Diurnal, which is benefiting from targeting a market with less competition and fewer specialist providers and patient groups. Originally a spin-out from the UK's University of Sheffield, Diurnal is now a biotech company based in Wales, UK, and is focused on the endocrinology space.

Diurnal has two leading candidates in this space, Infacort and Chronocort, which are both in Phase III trials in Europe, as well as other products in earlier development.