B-MS links with Harvard on fibrosis research

US pharma major Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) and the Harvard Fibrosis Network of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have entered into a research collaboration to discover and develop potential new therapies for fibrotic diseases, including fibrosis of the liver and heart.

The Harvard Fibrosis Network brings together researchers across the schools and affiliated hospitals of Harvard University.

Fibrotic diseases impact many organs or tissues in the body, and are characterized by injury and chronic inflammation that lead to excess collagen deposition and scar formation in the affected organ or tissue. The scarring response compromises function and ultimately leads to organ failure. Treatments for fibrotic diseases are currently limited, and there is a significant unmet need for new options.