MedImmune, Inserm Enter Research Pact

MedImmune, AstraZeneca’s biologics business, and Inserm Transfert have entered a three-year strategic research collaboration for a range of therapeutic areas including oncology, respiratory, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases. The research will explore translational biology and new disease mechanisms, as well as evaluate potential drug candidates. Financial details were not disclosed.

MedImmune will fund the scientific collaboration that will initially investigate 10 research projects, leveraging Inserm’s capability to conduct research by blended physician/biologist teams, and their link to patient populations and understanding of human diseases. Inserm, the private subsidiary of the French National Institute of the Health and Medical Research, has operations in 316 laboratories, with 54 clinical investigation centers representing a workforce of 13,000. MedImmune will fund projects for both preclinical and clinical research, and will perform other activities to help identify promising approaches to advance drug candidates.

“MedImmune is honored and energized to have this unique opportunity to partner with an organization the caliber of Inserm on discovery and development,” said Bahija Jallal, Ph.D., MedImmune’s executive vice president of R&D. “This new relationship exemplifies our externalization strategy to invest in the best science, academic expertise, and innovation while enhancing productivity and quality of discovery research outcomes.”

“Knowledge transfer today is about connecting excellence in academia and industry and building partnered teams to promote innovation,” said Cécile Tharaud, chief executive officer of Inserm Transfert. “MedImmune is a partner of choice and we are highly committed to building this strategic alliance with the potential to turn ‘open innovation’ concepts into novel therapeutic products to benefit patients.”