BOSTON and BRUSSELS, June 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — UCB and
Harvard University officially launched their innovative Research
Alliance during a signing ceremony that took place in Boston last
night in the presence of his Royal Highness Prince Philippe of
Belgium.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110630/NY28450
)
The Alliance creates a unique drug discovery bridge between
industry and academia, with Harvard scientists continuing their
research that holds potential for the development of new
therapeutic modalities in clinical medicine. The strategy
underlying the collaborative alliance is to advance ongoing Harvard
research projects along the drug development pathway.
“Harvard’s world-class academic research is an excellent fit
with UCB’s world-class antibody research and central nervous system
(CNS) pharmacology,” said Ismail Kola, President of UCB
NewMedicines. “Both parties will learn from each other through the
collaboration and a two-way exchange of ideas. Harvard will benefit
from UCB’s strengths and industry experience in drug discovery and
development; while Harvard’s exceptional research will complement
UCB’s internal expertise.”
The first research project funded under the Harvard-UCB alliance
is a collaboration with Professor Gokhan S. Hotamisligil, M.D.,
Ph.D., Chair, Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard
School of Public Health, to generate and develop antibodies against
an exciting target with potential application in a range of
diseases including diabetes and metabolic disorders.
“We couldn’t be more pleased about entering into this innovative
collaboration with UCB, which joins together leaders in academia
and industry to advance pioneering research from the lab to the
clinic,” said Isaac T. Kohlberg, Harvard’s Chief Technology
Development Officer and head of its Office of Technology
Development. “In furtherance of our mis
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