The Australian subsidiary of Servier has partnered with Melbourne-based BioCurate to share commercial and scientific expertise with the aim of accelerating the discovery of new therapeutics and drugs.
BioCurate is a joint venture company of Monash University and The University of Melbourne. It also has support from the Victorian State Government.
Servier has become one of the first pharmaceutical companies to sign an agreement with BioCurate to share expertise and accelerate discoveries of new drugs.
Under the terms of a new memorandum of understanding (MOU), Servier and BioCurate will work together, both directly and via participation in BioCurate’s Industry and Scientific Advisory Committee, in providing advice and assessing new therapeutic candidates.
BioCurate was established with a specific focus on addressing the barriers that limit the translation and commercialisation of early-stage research.
“BioCurate is very pleased to receive this further endorsement from industry and to be expanding our collaborative linkages with experts who are able to provide invaluable scientific advice, commercial insight and partnering opportunities to BioCurate and Australia’s wider medical research sector,” said CEO Dr C. Glenn Begley.
“Collaboration with biotech companies, academia, institutes and government is a key cornerstone of our strategy to put the patient and innovation first,” said Claude Bertrand, executive vice-president of R&D at Servier.
The company said the Melbourne-based ‘Parkville Precinct' was a key factor in the collaboration.
"This cluster of 30 world-class hospitals, research institutes, teaching and biotech organisations in Melbourne employs approximately 10,000 researchers, many of whom are the global leaders in their field. With its headquarters embedded within this precinct, BioCurate’s internationally-experienced team is well-placed to complement this thriving research ecosystem," said the company.
“BioCurate is very proud of the industry-experienced team it is building and making available to the local sector. This is unique in the Australian context. Our staff are solely focused on increasing the clinical impact from medical research and we are doing this by sharing our hands-on experience, knowledge and networks from working in industry both internationally and in Australia,” added Dr Begley.
“We are excited by the opportunity to create synergies between Servier’s scientific expertise and capabilities and BioCurate’s know-how in improving the quality of early stage research for a successful translation into therapeutic solutions for the benefit of patients,” concluded Pedro Crisanto, director of the Servier International Centre for Therapeutic Research Australia & New Zealand. “
"Australia has ranked 5th in the Scientific American Worldwide scorecard 3 years running. Alongside BioCurate, Servier aims to translate this exciting science into improved health outcomes for patients around the world."