Pfizer and Newcastle Hospitals Trust to ally on clinical research

Pfizer has named the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as the first UK partner under its Inspire clinical research programme.

The agreement will see Pfizer and Newcastle Hospitals Trust sharing expert knowledge and experience of medical research, with Newcastle becoming a Pfizer-preferred international site for potential future studies.

It will help to provide early access to innovative new medicines to patients in the UK and accelerate efforts to bring important therapies to market.

Prime minister David Cameron has welcomed the move, as it ties in with the government's objectives of making the UK a leading hub for life science research by reducing bureaucracy and creating a culture of innovation within the NHS.

Jonathan Emms, UK managing director at Pfizer, said: "The UK is an important place for Pfizer to do research and like the government, we want to see a strong research culture in the NHS and a positive environment for life sciences in the UK."

Last month, the company allied with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on research into new therapies for paediatric conditions, as part of its Centers for Therapeutic Innovation scheme.