Bayer HealthCare and Oxford University agree gynaecology alliance

Bayer HealthCare has announced a new gynaecology-focused research alliance with the University of Oxford.

The multi-target collaboration is being conducted with the goal of discovering and developing innovative treatment options for endometriosis and uterine fibroids, and will draw on the expertise of both organisations.

Both parties will contribute drug targets and high-quality technology infrastructures, as well as sharing responsibilities from basic research to early clinical trials. Work will be performed at the university itself and at Bayer's research and development centre in Berlin.

The collaboration will be for an initial period of two years, but is open for extension for up to five. Bayer is eligible to license both targets and potential drug candidates exclusively, with the university receiving milestone and royalty-based payments.

Professor Dr Andreas Busch, member of the Bayer HealthCare executive committee and head of global drug discovery, said: "This new partnership with one of the world’s leading institutions brings together the drug development expertise at Bayer with the disease and target expert knowledge at the University of Oxford."

Last month, the firm agreed a new partnership with Dimension Therapeutics for the development and commercialisation of a novel gene therapy for the treatment of haemophilia A.