Sanofi-Aventis collaborates with Harvard University on translational biomedical research

In a third accord with academia this year, Sanofi-Aventis (Euronext: SAN) this morning announced a research collaboration with the USA’s Harvard University. The goal of this is to advance knowledge in the area of human health through basic and applied research and to promote scientific exchange between Harvard and the French drug major. Financial terms of the accord were not disclosed.

The focus of this collaboration is translational biomedical research in multiple therapeutic areas such as cancer, diabetes and inflammation. In the spring, Sanofi-Aventis entered into a strategic alliance agreement with the USA’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Biomedical Innovation, which will be known as the Sanofi-Aventis Biomedical Innovation Program (SABIP; The Pharma Letter May 27). Sanofi-Aventis also entered into a strategic alliance with Scripps Genomic Medicine, a division of the USA-based Scripps Health, to advance R&D initiatives in the field of individualized medicine (TPL August 11).

“I’m delighted by the collaboration with Sanofi-Aventis, which joins together leaders in academic research and industry to more rapidly advance groundbreaking research from the lab to the clinic,” said Steven Hyman, Provost of Harvard University. “This collaboration exemplifies Harvard’s commitment to creatively partner with industry in ways that we hope will push the boundaries of translational science, and advance our mandate of serving the public interest by making the fruits of our research available to society.”