22nd Apr 2016 05:41
LONDON (Alliance News) - Drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC on Friday said it has created a genomics initiative with a group of research institutions in a bid to boost drug discovery and drug development across its MedImmune research and development business.
The initiative will include work with the Human Longevity Inc group in the US, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the UK and the Institute for Molecular Medicine in Finland.
AstraZeneca also will create an in-house Centre for Genomics Research which will develop a bespoke database of genome samples donated by patients in clinical trials, along with clinical and drug response data.
MedImmune will work with Human Longevity on sequencing genomes, creating a genome sequences database with the Sanger Institute and will study genes of interest in the Finnish population with the Institute of Molecular Medicine.
"Using the power of genomics is the foundation of our ambition to develop the most innovative and impactful treatments for patients. With the advent of next generation sequencing and the increased sophistication of data analysis, the time is now right to immerse ourselves fully in the international genomics community through these pioneering collaborations and through the creation of our own genome centre," said Menelas Pangalos, AstraZeneca's executive vice-president of innovative medicines and early development.
By Sam Unsted; [email protected]; @SamUAtAlliance
Copyright 2016 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Related Shares:
Astrazeneca