GSK unveils immunoinflammation research partnership

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has teamed up with the Immune Disease Institute (IDI) in Boston under a new $25 million (12.84 million pounds) research partnership.

The two organisations are collaborating on new immunoinflammation research in a bid to make new discoveries by combining “IDI’s world-class immunological expertise with GSK’s pharmaceutical capabilities”.

Establishing a competitive framework, the new partnership will enable researchers from the two institutions to develop joint grant proposals and GSK will receive an exclusive right of first negotiation for a substantial proportion of new technologies discovered and disclosed by IDI scientists during the five year term of the agreement.

Anchored through the GSK Immuno-Inflammation Centre of Excellence in Drug Discovery (II CEDD), the new collaboration combines the expertise of one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies and a dedicated centre for the discovery of therapies for inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis.

Dr Jose Carlos Gutierrez-Ramos, senior vice-president and head of the II CEDD, commented: “GSK is committed to becoming a world leader within three years in drug discovery of immuno-inflammation. We are tremendously excited that we are able to work with IDI scientists, and share their passion, innovation and ground-breaking technologies.”

GSK announced the completion of its tender for shares of common stock of Sirtris Pharmaceuticals this week. The company is purchasing the shares through its Fountain Acquisition Corporation (FAC) subsidiary as part of a short-form merger deal.