Ciba And Schering Join Forces For Cancer Research

Switzerland's Ciba and Germany's Schering AG have signed a declaration of intent to cooperate in certain areas of cancer research. The focus of the research will be angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels, which is a key factor in the formation of all solid tumors.

Using drugs to influence this blood-vessel formation, says Ciba, could eventually become an important approach in cancer treatment. The joint research might also lead to substances being developed for use in the early detection of cancer, it adds.

Pierre Douaze, head of Ciba's pharmaceuticals division worldwide, believes that Schering is an ideal partner because the "two companies have complementary interests and strengths in the field of cancer research." And Schering chairman Giuseppe Vita comments that the two will "create synergies by using the know-how of both companies in the field of tumor growth regulation and in vivo diagnostics."