Bayer HealthCare announces pulmonary hypertension research alliance

Bayer HealthCare is entering into a new research alliance with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute (LBI) for Lung Vascular Research to study treatments for respiratory illnesses.

The Bayer-sponsored facility, which is owned by the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, was opened last month to conduct new studies into lung vascular diseases, with a particular focus on pulmonary hypertension.

In partnership with Bayer HealthCare and other associates – including NEBU-Tec and the Austrian Academy of Sciences – it will utilise a translational medicine approach, based on the interdisciplinary integration of all areas of medicine within one centre.

Dr Helmut Haning, head of global innovation sourcing at Bayer HealthCare, noted that pulmonary hypertension is a key area of unmet clinical need.

"Pulmonary hypertension is also central to Bayer's research and development activities, so the LBI for Lung Vascular Research is an attractive partner for us," he added.

Last month, Bayer and partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals applied to the European Medicines Agency for approval of the drug VEGF Trap-Eye as a treatment for the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration.