BMS building

Bristol-Myers Squibb enters academic R&D tie-up

pharmafile | November 4, 2015 | News story | Research and Development BMS, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cardioxy, John Hopkins, acquisition, immunooncology, job losses 

Bristol-Myers Squibb and The Johns Hopkins University have entered into a collaboration agreement, as part of the pharma firm’s rare cancer R&D program in the US.

As part of the program, Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center will conduct a range of early phase clinical studies. BMS will also fund positions within the university’s fellowship program.

The BMS immuno-oncology rare population malignancy (I-O RPM) research program is a multi-institutional initiative within academic cancer centres. It focuses on investigating immuno-oncology therapeutics as potential treatment options for patients with high risk, poor prognostic cancers, defined as a ‘rare population malignancy’, and harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. The I-O RPM research program focuses on significant areas of high unmet need marked by poor outcomes among patients with rare population malignancies.

Laura Bessen, head of US medical at Bristol-Myers Squibb, says: “Johns Hopkins has been a long-time collaborator with Bristol-Myers Squibb in immuno-oncology research. We look forward to working with them as part of the I-O RPM research program as we continue to advance the science in this innovative field of cancer research and development, particularly among sub-populations of patients with high risk, poor prognostic cancers.”

In a further strengthening of the company’s R&D capabilities, Bristol-Myers Squibb signed a definitive agreement acquiring private biotechnology company Cardioxyl, focusing on the discovery and development of novel therapeutic agents for cardiovascular disease.

The deal includes upfront and near-term milestone payments of up to $300 million and potential additional consideration of up to $1.775 billion. The prize asset is Cardioxyl’s CXL-1427, a novel nitroxyl (HNO) donor (pro-drug) in Phase II clinical development as an intravenous treatment for acute decompensated heart failure.

Bristol-Myers Squibb has also filed papers to formalise its plans to scrap nearly jobs employees at its R&D site in Wallingford, Connecticut. The site is planned for closure in the early part of 2018 as the pharma company builds a research site in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Yasmita Kumar

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