Small in scale, high in quality
“In ACESO, we focus on a small-scale but high-quality screening facility in Oss,” Zaman explains. “We perform up to ten screens per year, testing compounds against biological targets using advanced automation and robotics. It’s all about quality, reproducibility, and flexibility: researchers can test their ideas here without needing to invest heavily in equipment.”
“ACESO continued following an earlier start under Pivot Park Screening Center (PPSC) in Oss, which initially led the project,” Zaman continues. “When PPSC ceased its activities, Oncolines took over and further developed the project. That extended the initial setup phase somewhat, but the screening facility is now operational and ready to support researchers,” adds Benningshof.
The ACESO consortium consists of Oncolines (part of Symeres), TropIQ, Pivot Park, Health Sciences, and Saillant Therapeutics. TropIQ primarily focuses on malaria, Saillant on cardiovascular diseases, but as Zaman emphasizes, the project is fundamentally about infrastructure. “The technology is broadly applicable across different disease areas.”
ACESO provides a practical, national infrastructure for academic groups, start-ups, and small companies. Ideas are translated into chemical molecules that can be further developed into drug candidates. It offers an accessible way to accelerate the development of innovative therapies, from cancer research to infectious disease treatments.
A strong combination of chemistry and biology
Benningshof: “Our goal is to design the screening in a way that allows us to run many tests in parallel. This helps accelerate research and enables us to support small companies, universities, and hospitals in identifying promising candidate molecules.”
He explains that one of ACESO’s major advantages is the combined strength of chemistry and biology—an integrated approach rooted in its parent company, Symeres. “Bringing chemistry and biology together creates far more possibilities for our clients and partners, because you don’t need to coordinate with too many different parties. That is ACESO’s strength and a true win-win.”
Launch and early results
ACESO officially launched in January last year, beginning with equipment validation and test protocol setup. “We are currently working on two subprojects: one focused on long COVID and one on cancer immunotherapy. These help us demonstrate both our technology and our collaboration with external partners,” Zaman explains.
A major milestone has been the commissioning of the automated screening facility, complete with robotic arms and a suite of instruments that replace tasks previously done manually. The project has a four-year duration, but Benningshof expects that the first results will become visible sooner. Success will be measured by the platform’s performance and the execution of pilot projects with external partners.
Target groups and impact
ACESO makes advanced screening technology accessible to researchers who would not otherwise have the resources. Benningshof: “Where universities, for example, may only be able to test a handful of compounds, we will soon be able to screen thousands. This truly boosts research and makes early-stage drug development accessible to many more parties.”
In this way, ACESO acts as a bridge between scientific discovery and practical application. “It’s about translating researchers’ ideas into something concrete: a chemical starting point for further optimization,” Zaman explains. “This approach creates value for both science and industry.” And that value extends beyond the Netherlands, Benningshof adds: “In the Netherlands our clients are mainly smaller parties, but internationally we’re looking at larger players. The platform is flexible enough to offer value both nationally and internationally.”
Want to learn more about ACESO? Contact Jorg Benningshof (Jorg.Benningshof@Symeres.com).
News November 27, 2025 