AbbVie and University of Chicago ally on cancer research

AbbVie has announced a new five-year collaboration agreement with the University of Chicago in the field of oncology.

The organisations will be working together to improve the pace of discovery and advance their respective medical research in oncology, while encouraging and strengthening collaboration among researchers.

They will work together to advance research in several areas of oncology, including breast, lung, prostate, colorectal and haematological cancer among others. Research projects will be chosen by a joint steering committee featuring representatives from both organisations.

AbbVie will also gain an option for an exclusive licence to certain University of Chicago discoveries made under the agreement.

Dr Gary Gordon, vice-president for oncology clinical development at AbbVie, said: "Collaborating closely with the scientists and clinicians at the University of Chicago allows us to expand our own research efforts even further to benefit patients."

This comes after the firm agreed a new to collaborate with Argenx to develop a new immuno-oncology therapy earlier this week.