Pfizer agrees Crohn's research deal
20 Aug 2014
Crohn’s disease is a long-term condition with no cure that can inflame and affect any part of the digestive system.
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) has today announced an agreement with US pharmaceutical firm Pfizer’s Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) to help develop research in the area of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Both the CCFA and the CTI will collaborate to help drive translational research projects towards the clinic, Pfizer said in a statement today.
Initially, research projects will be co-funded and will focus on studying validated targets in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis - two of the most common types of IBD.
CCFA chief scientific officer Caren Heller said: “We are pleased to have this opportunity to collaborate with CTI to help identify and advance potential new treatments and therapies for people with IBD.
“CCFA is dedicated to delivering tangible improvements in the treatment of IBD and helping create better outcomes for patients. By harnessing resources and expertise from both of our organisations, we aim to speed the development of better treatments for millions of patients with IBD.”
The research studies will include up to four jointly-selected, small molecule projects over the next two years, Pfizer said.
“Combining CTI’s scientific resources with CCFA’s deep knowledge of IBD and network of investigators, we aim to be well-positioned to pursue more targeted medicines for IBD patients,” said Pfizer’s chief scientific officer Anthony Coyle.
