WEHI joins Abbott and Genentech

Source: WEHI

The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) has entered into a tripartite research collaboration with pharmaceutical company Abbott and US biotech Genentech.

The collaboration is aimed at anti-cancer drug discovery.

WEHI's head of business development, Dr Julian Clark, said the collaboration would hopefully translate basic research into apoptosis into novel cancer therapeutics.

Under the terms of the collaboration, Genentech and Abbott are responsible for the development, manufacturing and commercialisation of potential new drugs.

The discovery stage of the collaboration involves research sites in San Francisco, Chicago area and Melbourne. Financial terms of the collaboration will not be disclosed.

"We are excited to collaborate with Abbott and Genentech based on their expertise in apoptosis and strong track records in the development of small molecule drugs," WEHI cancer researcher Dr David Huang said.

"We believe both will be excellent collaborators in bringing forward potential novel cancer therapeutics that target the apoptosis pathway."