Agreement supports advancement of research in a range of Servier therapeutic areas in collaboration with researchers from across Harvard.
19 October 2017 – Servier has established a 3-year strategic research alliance with Harvard University to support multiple, multi-year research projects that will focus on the development of innovative therapeutics across Servier’s areas of expertise.
The alliance represents a major milestone in Servier’s ambition to build a footprint in the Boston and Cambridge research hub.
Under the new research alliance, coordinated by Harvard’s Office of Technology Development, Servier will support a number of faculty-initiated research projects at Harvard, identifying these projects through a request for proposals in two funding cycles. Harvard and Servier anticipate a range of projects spanning exploratory investigations of biological mechanisms, to identification of possible targets, or to preclinical validation of targets and leads.
Visiting scientists from Servier will also have the opportunity to collaborate directly with Harvard researchers, gaining new expertise in areas of biomedical science and enriching the academic perspective with their experience in drug development.
“Collaborations between academic scientists and our colleagues in industry are crucial to advance discovery in areas of therapeutic relevance and to speed the adoption of promising new therapies,” said Isaac T. Kohlberg, Harvard’s Senior Associate Provost and Chief Technology Development Officer. “Investigations by Harvard researchers can lay the groundwork for life-changing medical advances. We are pleased to embark on this strategic alliance to identify and support research of great importance to the battle against chronic diseases.”
“Access to cutting-edge science is fundamental to the growth of Servier’s R&D portfolio. We are delighted to build on our existing good relations with Harvard University and excited at the prospect of identifying new collaboration opportunities” said Claude Bertrand, Servier’s General Director of Research and Development, CSO.
Projects may be selected from labs across Harvard University, including in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Medical School, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, or the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
About Servier
Servier is an international pharmaceutical company governed by a non-profit foundation, with its headquarters in France (Suresnes). With a strong international presence in 148 countries and a turnover of 4 billion euros in 2016, Servier employs 21,000 people worldwide. Entirely independent, the Group reinvests 25% of its turnover (excluding generic drugs) in research and development and uses all its profits for development. Corporate growth is driven by Servier’s constant search for innovation in five areas of excellence: cardiovascular, immune-inflammatory and neuropsychiatric diseases, cancer and diabetes, as well as by its activities in high-quality generic drugs.
More information: www.servier.com
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