BioCurate, an independently operated joint venture between the University of Melbourne and Monash University, announced today it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Singapore’s national platform for drug discovery and development hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). The agreement will see both parties share complementary scientific and business development expertise between their teams, and explore opportunities for co-development on projects to bring new commercially viable therapies to market.
EDDC has well-established capabilities in-house for the discovery and development of small and large molecule therapeutic compounds. This includes expertise in assay development, medicinal chemistry, peptide chemistry, therapeutic protein and antibody discovery, in vivo pharmacology and biomarker development. In addition, EDDC has successfully progressed projects from discovery to development and has a track record of partnerships with companies. Such expertise and capabilities will strengthen collaborative projects between EDDC and BioCurate.
The partnership is expected to expand the number and types of projects both parties can support, by increasing the knowledge, expertise and resources that each organisation has access to.
The Hon. John Brumby AO, Chair of the BioCurate Board, said:
“Bringing new drugs to market is notoriously difficult and requires substantial scientific and commercial expertise and resources. Collaborations like this improve the prospects of success, and we are honoured to partner with EDDC toward this common goal.
“I am excited about the possibilities of this collaboration, particularly to advance some of the world-class research happening in Victoria’s foremost academic research laboratories, which is BioCurate’s core focus.”
Dr. Eric Hayes, Director of Partnerships at BioCurate, said:
“Collaboration with organisations of EDDC’s calibre is a strategic priority for BioCurate, leveraging complementary strengths and capabilities to ours, and our Shareholders. These partnerships extend what we’re capable of doing and increase our chances of success in translating biomedical discoveries into quality therapeutic candidates.
“The Partners are now able to undertake a mutual review of portfolio opportunities and we are looking forward to identifying projects for collaboration.”
Prof. Damian O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer of EDDC, said:
“EDDC is excited to embark on this strategic partnership with BioCurate, a like-minded partner working towards a common goal. Bringing together both organisations’ strong complementary capabilities, we will accelerate our efforts towards translating groundbreaking biomedical discoveries into therapeutics that address unmet medical needs. I am excited about the potential opportunities that this collaboration will bring to Singapore and the region.”
