GlaxoSmithKline signs new development agreement

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has signed a new drug development agreement with Genstruct to start the second phase of an existing partnership into the development of new drugs.

The companies will continue to research molecular mechanisms for various oncology treatments, using computer-assisted reasoning to help to define biomarkers for patient stratification and drug response. It is the latest step in an existing agreement, signed in 2005, for which GSK paid an upfront fee, although additional details were not divulged.

Keith O Elliston, president and chief executive officer of Genstruct, remarked: “The first phase of our collaboration has already proved fruitful for Genstruct and GSK through the identification of drug mechanisms as an aid to clinical development. The partnership has also been an excellent opportunity to explore synergies between our organisations.”

“We are excited to address the scientific challenges that lay before us, and are looking forward to continuing to leverage our expertise and experience to bear on the problems at hand. We are extremely pleased to have partnered with another top tier, cutting-edge pharmaceutical company like GSK,” he added.

AstraZeneca recently entered into a similar collaboration with Immunicon, to develop “potentially valuable biomarkers”.

Two weeks ago, GSK signed a genotyping research agreement with Illumina in an attempt to define the genetic characteristics of certain diseases. Jay Flatley, Illumina’s president and chief executive officer, said this type of research was becoming increasingly common in the pharmaceutical industry.

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