University of Pittsburgh and Bayer Form Alliance to Advance Research for New Therapies for Heart, Lung and Blood Diseases

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Jan 10, 2017, 08:00 ET

WHIPPANY, N.J. and PITTSBURGH, Jan. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) and Bayer have established a master collaboration agreement to advance research for heart, lung and blood disease indications. This broad collaboration spans from early research studies, to drug development and big data analysis including real-world evidence studies. In addition to the research partnership, Bayer will be supporting an independent investigator-initiated clinical trial in sickle cell disease.

"The alliance builds upon a productive history of research collaboration between the scientists at Pitt and Bayer. Working with Bayer under this master agreement will allow us to further explore drug discovery research to better understand and meet patient needs," said Mark Gladwin, MD, the Dr. Jack D. Myers Professor of Internal Medicine and chair of the Department of Medicine in the School of Medicine at Pitt, and director of the Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood and Vascular Medicine Institute.

A joint steering committee composed of leaders from both Bayer and Pitt will manage the collaboration and make ongoing decisions to govern the joint research activities.

"Bayer is proud to partner with the University of Pittsburgh, bringing together their renowned scientists in partnership with Bayer's clinical disease experts and in-depth expertise in delivering new therapies to patients," said Dario Mirski, senior vice president and head of Medical Affairs for the Americas at Bayer. "This partnership reflects continued investment in Bayer's U.S. drug discovery and development portfolio. Our goal is to advance meaningful research around pathophysiology and discovery, working closely with Pitt to evaluate new therapeutic principles for heart, lung and blood diseases."

About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.

Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see www.medschool.pitt.edu.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their lives. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2015, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of EUR 46.3 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.3 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.us.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

SOURCE Bayer