University of Dundee University of Dundee
Text only
         
Search
 
 
 
 

03 April 2006

Scotland leads the way in pioneering approach to developing new medicines

£50 MILLION INVESTMENT TO CREATE A SCOTTISH TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH WYETH PHARMACEUTICALS ANNOUNCED

The Health Minister today welcomed the announcement of a unique international collaboration with one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies in a deal worth almost £50m to create the world's first Translational Medicine Research Collaboration in Scotland. The Glasgow announcement coincided with a similar event being held in New York attended by the First Minister and Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Jack Perry.

The Collaboration will comprise four of Scotland's leading universities (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow), Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co, Scottish Enterprise and NHS Scotland Grampian, Greater Glasgow, Lothian and Tayside, and will provide new impetus for Scotland to lead the world in the development of personalised medicine, bringing new treatments to patients suffering from a range of serious illnesses.

Wyeth, with headquarters in Philadelphia, plans to invest an estimated £33m in the first five years with an option to extend for a further five years. Scottish Enterprise will invest up to £17.5m.

Translational Medicine is a revolutionary new approach to developing new drugs and treatments by focussing research on new tests for the diagnosis and monitoring of human diseases. These tests, called biomarkers, are new proteins or markers that can be measured in blood samples or X-rays of patients. They can then be used to follow the progress and response to the treatment of patients with diseases such as heart attacks, cancer, depression and osteoporosis.

Biomarkers can also help to develop new treatments. The Collaboration will include them in specialised clinical trials in Scotland working with the established network of doctors and researchers who conduct medical research to the highest ethical standards, whilst protecting patient confidentiality. These trials will facilitate the speed in getting new treatments from the laboratory to benefit patients in the clinic, with the potential to enhance patient care and treatments. It will also help adapt prescription drugs to individual needs so that doctors can discover which groups of patients respond best to which medicines, enabling resources to be targeted more effectively, and making sure that the right patients get the right treatments.

The development of this exciting collaboration is a reflection of the world-class reputation for research in medicine and life sciences at the four Scottish Universities. Scotland was also hailed for the close working relationship between the Universities and the NHS in Scotland. Wyeth has an outstanding worldwide reputation in scientific research and is a recognised leader in developing drugs in a number of disease areas including cancer, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. Wyeth is one of the forerunners in the establishment of dedicated Translational Medicine efforts to bridge the gap between basic pre-laboratory drug discovery and drug development in the clinic. The partnership with four of Scotland's leading universities is expected to yield significant research benefits for patients.

The Collaboration model will consist of a central core Research Laboratory working with 'Centres of Excellence' in each of the four University Medical Schools. The Research Laboratory will be based at the University of Dundee, with 50 scientific jobs created in the first instance. The Research Laboratory will be a national resource and will be responsible for promoting innovative and novel scientific developments. It will link seamlessly with clinicians and scientists based in the Centres of Excellence, who will carry out specialised clinical research with the support of patients, many with diseases that contribute to ill-health in Scotland.

The Collaboration also builds upon the development of a new Clinical Research Centre network across the four universities and the NHS in Grampian, Greater Glasgow, Lothian and Tayside. This collaboration will ensure that Scotland consolidates its position as a leading player in the biotechnology and medical research sectors and attracts some of the world's leading research scientists to work in Scotland.

In particular the Collaboration will bring the following major advantages to Scotland:

  • The Collaboration will provide an injection of more than £50m into clinical and biomedical research in Scotland across the four universities and NHS Scotland.
  • The Collaboration will support the development of an enviable research platform in clinical drug development.
  • The Collaboration will create 50 jobs at the state-of-the-art Laboratory in Dundee in the first instance, rising to as many as 120 over 5 years.

The Minister for Health and Community Care Andy Kerr said: "Translational medicine research is particularly relevant to the NHS, bringing theoretical laboratory based science closer to practical applications of direct benefit to our NHS patients. It is a great example of the public and private sectors working together for mutual benefit. I am delighted that Scotland has been able to develop this pioneering approach."

Frank Walsh, PhD, Executive Vice President, Wyeth Research welcomed the new collaboration saying, "The Translational Medicine Research Collaboration represents a truly novel concept in industry-academic-government partnership, and we are delighted to be the major pharmaceutical partner in this relationship. Translational Medicine is key to the successful development of the next generation of innovative medicines which will truly make a difference for patients the world over".

Jack Perry, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise said, "Translational Medicine provides a major opportunity to reduce the bottlenecks in the development of new drug treatments, with significant resultant benefits in economic development and health. Scotland is in a strong position to be a centre for Translational Medicine as a result of its excellence in life sciences, culture of collaboration between the NHS and Universities, and the fantastic support that the Scottish people have demonstrated for medical research. This links with ongoing programmes of investment in its clinical infrastructure and high quality teaching hospitals. This Collaboration will harness the expertise in Scotland and Wyeth and provide the country with significant first mover advantage in a field which is projected to revolutionise the drug industry."

Sir Alan Langlands, Principal of the University of Dundee, said, "We are pleased and excited that Dundee has been selected as a "centre of excellence" and the core research laboratory for this new development. The University has an excellent track record for working with international pharmaceutical companies and this is a first class opportunity to build on Dundee's well established contribution to drug discovery, working closely with partner universities across Scotland to bring the benefits of biomedical research to patients and populations.

Our partners at local and national levels have worked hard to bring this complex agreement to fruition and we look forward to working with them to make it a great success for Dundee and for Scotland."

Scottish Enterprise Tayside chief executive Shona Cormack said: "The decision to locate the TMRC's central laboratory in Dundee reflects particularly well on the University of Dundee and NHS Tayside and will ensure significant economic and reputational benefits from the project. "This is a highly significant example of the impact that can be achieved through the combined scale of different organisations in different parts of Scotland working together. SE Tayside is delighted to have played a role in bringing such a major project from one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to Scotland.''

Mr Peter Bates, Chairman, NHS Tayside, said, "We are absolutely delighted that this major new development is coming to the Ninewells site. "NHS Tayside and the University of Dundee have a well-established track record of working together in the interest of patients and safe quality clinical care. "Dundee University is internationally-recognised as a world leader in life sciences and this development represents a further step in improving treatments and interventions for patients."

Dundee City Council economic development convener Cllr Joe Morrow said: "This is an absolutely tremendous announcement for Dundee as it will help build on the city's success in the field of life sciences for the future. "This latest development is testament to the quality of innovative research ongoing at the University of Dundee. "The university has already established a thriving scientific community of international standing in Dundee and this will further enhance its reputation on a global scale. "The city council is a long-term supporter of the local biotech industry and we are very pleased to welcome this major announcement. I look forward to the very positive economic spin-offs this will have for the city of Dundee."


For media enquiries contact:


Anna Day
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: a.c.day@dundee.ac.uk