Tocris Cookson Ltd was incorporated in the UK in July 1994 as the result of a merger between Tocris Neuramin Ltd of Bristol, UK and Cookson Chemicals Ltd of Southampton, UK. Tocris Neuramin was founded in 1982 by Professor Jeff Watkins FRS of the Pharmacology Department in the University of Bristol, UK. Professor Watkins’ research interests focused on glutamate receptors and their involvement in the synaptic transmission processes of the mammalian central nervous system. Tocris Neuramin was primarily founded to make standard research tools and novel probes in this field easily available to researchers.

Cookson Chemicals was formed in 1985 following the retirement of Richard Cookson FRS as Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Southampton, UK. Cookson Chemicals provided custom synthesis services as well as a range of neurochemicals to the pharmaceutical and allied industries.

Tocris Neuramin and Cookson Chemicals subsequently merged in July 1994. A sales office opened in St Louis in the United States in 1995 to support the needs of customers in North and South America. This was followed by the implementation of a worldwide distributor network.

In 2002 Tocris Cookson was awarded The Queen's Awards for Enterprise in the International Trade category and later in 2006 received nominations in five categories of the prestigious Life Science Industry Awards, further demonstrating that Tocris is the undisputed supplier of choice in the life science sector.

In October 2005 Tocris Bioscience announced the opening of new laboratories at the IO Centre, Bristol (UK). Developed to meet the needs of Tocris’ Production, R&D and Quality Control operations the new labs have a flexible open-plan layout based around a well-equipped central analytical laboratory.

In January 2007 Tocris Bioscience announced the successful completion of a $40 million management buy out (MBO) deal, providing Tocris with the ability and freedom to further develop its existing business areas and to offer additional products and services to its international client base. Existing directors Laurence Ede (Managing Director) and Andrew Birnie (Finance Director) were joined by Tony Kenny of Momentum Corporate Finance, who joined the board as Chairman.

Today, Tocris Bioscience is a leading supplier of chemicals, peptides and antibodies for Life Science research, with customers in virtually all of the worlds major pharmaceutical companies, universities and research institutes. The Company’s catalogue of over 2000 products is sent to more than 50,000 researchers worldwide annually.

Tocris Bioscience is the trading name for the companies in the Tocris Cookson Group consisting of Tocris Cookson Ltd. and its wholly owned US subsidiary Tocris Cookson Inc. Tocris Cookson Ltd. is privately held and headquartered in Bristol, UK. Tocris Cookson Inc. is located in St. Louis, MO, USA. There are approximately 60 employees in the Group worldwide, operating out of three sites in the UK and one in the US.