Ballerup, Denmark--3 Oct--PRNewswire/InfoQuest
LEO Pharma has announced plans to establish five long-term, strategic research collaborations in four countries by the end of next year. The ambitious initiative aims to deliver new treatment options to dermatology patients –faster than ever before. The first in the series of collaborations to be announced is with Charite, one of Europe’s oldest and largest university hospitals.
Today, LEO Pharma has revealed plans to establish five long-term, strategic research collaborations from now until the end of 2013 in Australia, France, Germany and the US. The research will supplement LEO Pharma’s internal R&D activities.
Each collaboration will integrate discovery research and exploratory clinical trials to an exceptionally high degree. The unique approach will enable LEO Pharma to exploremore dermatological treatment solutions at record speed–reducing the time it takes to deliver new therapeutic options.
“This marks the beginning of an exciting journey for LEO Pharma and the patients we serve. By joining forces with world-leading experts, we hope to break important, new ground in dermatology - faster than we’ve ever done before,“ says Kim Kjoeller, Senior Vice President, Global Development.
“We’re entering unchartered territory. Not only will we identify and test treatment solutions that no one has explored before; we will also explore new therapeutic areas for LEO Pharma. By working at the forefront of drug discovery and development, LEO Pharma can go that extra mile to meet patient needs. We are excited about the possibilities ahead.”
The scope of the scientific collaboration strategy covers skin conditions in which LEO Pharma is already active, such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and actinic keratosis, as well as new therapeutic areas for LEO Pharma.
Exploring itch at joint institute
LEO Pharma can already reveal details of its first collaboration: establishing a joint institute called I2DEAL, the International Institute of Dermatology and Allergy, with Charite, one of Europe’s oldest and largest university hospitals. Here, experts will conduct early exploratory clinical trials and explore the underlying mechanisms of disease in allergic and itchy skin conditions. It is the first time that the Department of Dermatology and Allergy at Charite enters into collaboration with a private pharmaceutical company to such a high degree.
Prof. Dr. Marcus Maurer, Director of Research at the Department of Dermatology and Allergy at Charite, said: “A perfect match – that’s how I’d describe our part-nership with LEO Pharma. By combining our individual expertise, we can make significant advances in dermatology research and towards meeting patient needs.
“Our research will focus on itch and inflammation. We know that itchy and inflamed skin is by far the greatest burden of disease for many patients, particularly those with eczema and psoriasis. Despite this, patients lack satisfactory treatment options. Together with LEO Pharma, we aim to discover new ways to relieve patients from itchy and inflamed skin.”
Contact
Eva Juul Langlands, Corporate Communications Manager, +45 41 88 30 94, [email protected]
LEO Pharma is a significant step closer to realising its vision of becoming the preferred dermatology care partner following a strategic partnership with AstraZeneca announced today. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130221/595427 ) The partnership covers potential new medicines for atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, two of the world's major skin diseases where a significant unmet medical need remains. With the partnership, LEO Pharma enters into biological medicines within dermatology