246M euros for EC/EFPIA's IMI drug R&D project

15 new research projects aimed at bringing innovative medicines more quickly to the market have been selected to receive 246.0 million euros  ($331.9 million) under the Innovative Medicines Initiative  (Marketletters passim) from the European Commission and the European  Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. They will  "foster understanding of health issues such as diabetes, pain, severe  asthma and psychiatric disorders while increasing drug safety," the  sponsors said.

Improved training of researchers and clinicians involved in medicines  development is another objective of the scheme. The projects were  chosen following the first call for proposals launched within the IMI, a  public-private partnership between the European Commission and the  pharmaceutical industry. With this selection, the IMI has reached a key  milestone, the EFPIA said, adding that this initiative marks the first  time that pharmaceutical competitors are pooling their resources,  together with research organizations, patient groups and other  stakeholders in large consortia, to develop generic, pre-competitive  knowledge. The Commission's contribution of 110.0 million euros is  backed up with 136.0 million euros provided in-kind from the  pharmaceutical industry. The successful projects will now enter into the  final negotiation phase.

"I'm happy to see that this unique public-private partnership that was  launched as a new instrument for research two years ago is bearing  fruit. In times of crisis, such a model of cooperation is proving  particularly well suited to answering both [European Union] public  health and economic needs," said Janez Potocnik, the EU Commissioner for  Science and Research.