AstraZeneca partners with China's Pharmaron to accelerate drug discovery

Pharmaron, a China-based R&D service provider for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries with operations in the USA, has announced a drug discovery partnership with Anglo-Swedish drug major AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) to support the firm’s global Innovative Medicines Units.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed but, under this multi-year accord, Pharmaron will provide AstraZeneca with discovery services in the areas of chemistry, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK), and efficacy screening. Pharmaron will conduct these services with a team consisting of several hundred scientists in dedicated, state-of-the-art research laboratories located in its newly-opened drug discovery service center in Beijing. The co-location of screening and chemistry services at a single partner is expected to help AstraZeneca scientists drive their drug discovery programs with greater efficiency. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Manos Perros, head of Infection iMed and sponsor of the collaboration for AstraZeneca, said: “We are pleased to enter this strategic partnership with Pharmaron which we believe will help us progress projects through our R&D pipeline more efficiently. Pharmaron scientists will be integrated into our project teams and play an important role in helping us fulfill our commitment to delivering meaningful medicines to patients worldwide.”