Sanofi-aventis forms research partnership with Harvard University

Sanofi-aventis is augmenting its drug research capabilities by entering into a new collaboration with Harvard University.

The agreement will see the organisations work together on a number of jointly-selected research projects, which will be provided with funding based on their scientific merit and value to the field of medicine.

Discoveries made under the partnership will form the basis of diagnostic and therapeutic applications developed by Sanofi-aventis.

Areas such as cancer, diabetes and inflammation will be the focus of the collaboration, while researchers from the two bodies will also meet in annual scientific forums to exchange knowledge.

Dr Marc Cluzel, executive vice-president for research and development at Sanofi-aventis, said: "Our relationship with Harvard underscores Sanofi-aventis' approach of leveraging our innovative internal resources while actively engaging a range of external partners to develop healthcare solutions."

This comes after the company announced last month that it will be working with the Belfer Institute of Applied Cancer Science at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to conduct research into new oncology agents.