Bristol-Myers Squibb launches education scheme for HIV and hepatitis

Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced the launch of Partnering for Cure, an education and research initiative designed to aid sufferers of chronic viral diseases.

Unveiled at the European AIDS Conference in Brussels, the scheme is led by an expert panel of scientific and medical experts from across Europe and focuses on the three core pillars of education, scientific exchange and research.

Activities include reviewing current treatment paradigms, providing a forum for discussion on the evolution of treatment towards cure and facilitating studies that seek novel cure pathways in chronic diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B and C.

As part of this effort, Bristol-Myers Squibb has agreed to support three independent research projects focused on improving current understandings of these conditions, with applications to be accepted until the end of this month.

George Hanna, vice-president for HIV development at Bristol-Myers Squibb, said: "Along with our ongoing research in virology, we remain steadfast in our pursuit of partnership platforms with policy, advocacy and healthcare professional stakeholders."

The company has numerous research programmes ongoing in this field, including a collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals to create a new combination hepatitis C therapy that was announced earlier this year.