US NIH debuts collaborative program with Pharma to spur therapeutic development

The US National Institutes of Health last week unveiled a collaborative program that will match researchers with a selection of pharmaceutical industry compounds to help scientists explore new treatments for patients.

The NIH's new National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) has partnered initially with three drug majors - USA-based Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and UK-headquartered AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) - which have agreed to make dozens of their compounds available for this initiative's pilot phase. Additional companies may join and contribute their compounds for further investigation.

“Americans are eagerly awaiting the next generation of cures and treatments to help them live longer and healthier lives. To accelerate our nation’s therapeutic development process, it is essential that we forge strong, innovative, and strategic partnerships across government, academia, and industry,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.