GlaxoSmithKline allies with US university to seek HIV cure

GlaxoSmithKline has announced a new partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, through which it hopes to drive forward research into a potential cure for HIV.

The organisations will work together to create a new HIV Cure centre, to be located on the university's campus, which will focus exclusively on finding a cure for HIV and AIDS. A small team from GlaxoSmithKline will move to Chapel Hill to work with the university's scientists.

Additionally, a new company called Qura Therapeutics will be established to handle the business side of the partnership, including intellectual property, commercialisation, manufacturing and governance.

Together, these initiatives are expected to serve as a catalyst to generate the additional partners and public funding that will likely be needed to eradicate HIV worldwide. The collaboration is also expected to recruit and attract top talent from around the world.

GlaxoSmithKline chief executive officer Sir Andrew Witty said: "We are inspired by the confidence that with the right resources and research teams, we will be able to make a meaningful impact towards a cure for HIV."

The company is also working to find new treatment for HIV through its ViiV Healthcare joint venture with Pfizer.