NewswireToday - /newswire/ - London, United Kingdom, 01/27/2009 - The Medical Research Council & MRC Technology have signed exclusive License and Research Collaboration agreements with Centocor Ortho Biotech, Inc., for the development of a novel immunotherapy targeting respiratory disease.

The potential therapy was identified and characterised at the world famous MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology as part of a basic research programme. This research was quickly identified as having therapeutic potential. Further work was performed by MRCT’s Drug Discovery Group in a prime example of translational research.

Centocor Ortho Biotech, Inc. has exclusively licensed patents relating to the technology and will pay development milestones and royalties on net sales that may result from the commercialisation of future products. The immunotherapy has not been disclosed at this stage.

Dr Dave Tapolczay, MRCT’s CEO, said, "MRC Technology is delighted to have orchestrated this partnership between MRC scientists and a leading US biopharmaceutical company. We have great hopes for this potentially valuable product. This success heralds a new era for MRCT with greater focus on early stage drug discovery. With the support of the MRC, we are determined to develop basic research tools for potential therapeutic use more quickly and systematically. We are also extremely pleased to have the opportunity to demonstrate the value of our tools and technologies."

About the Medical Research Council (MRC)
The Medical Research Council (mrc.ac.uk) is dedicated to improving human health through excellent science. It invests on behalf of the UK taxpayer. Its work ranges from molecular level science to public health research, carried out in universities, hospitals and a network of its own units and institutes. The MRC liaises with the Health Departments, the National Health Service and industry to take account of the public’s needs. The results have led to some of the most significant discoveries in medical science and benefited the health and wealth of millions of people in the UK and around the world.

About Medical Research Council Technology (MRCT)
MRCT (mrctechnology.org) is the exclusive commercialisation agent for the UK Medical Research Council, working to translate cutting edge scientific discoveries into commercial products. MRCT bridges the gap between innovative basic science and making medicine. By providing drug-like candidate molecules to innovative new drug targets, we give pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies new starting points for drug discovery and development, based on MRC advances in science.

Agency / Source: MRC Technology

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