Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany, will establish a US Innovation Center in San Francisco, California with the goal to expand its global research network and build its specialty pharmaceutical pipeline.

The model introduces a newly formed 'Science Hub' for innovation sourcing in the US creating collaborations with academic research scientists and small biotech firms to realize product development and commercialization of new therapies through partnerships with Bayer. The US Innovation Center also will house Bayer scientists who drive the company’s strong haematology research program focused on coagulation factors and the discovery of novel biologic drug candidates.

“Through our newest innovation centre, US academic research institutions and young biopharmaceutical firms will work closely with Bayer scientists and leverage our experience in bringing novel discoveries to market. Working together, we have the potential to create significant benefits for patients,” said professor Andreas Busch, head of Global Drug Discovery for Bayer Schering Pharma. “Mission Bay is a hotbed of innovation in the US and key to our decision to co-locate our researchers in this life sciences community. We expect this new focus on US research collaboration to enhance Bayer’s pipeline which features a successful combination of internal excellence with highly partnered approaches in research and development and commercialization.”

By locating the US Innovation Center in Mission Bay, Bayer’s scientists will be in the heart of a growing biomedical research community and working in state-of-the-art labs which will occupy 49,000 square feet of leased lab and administrative space. Also research scientists working in targeted areas such as cardiology, oncology, women’s healthcare and diagnostic imaging will be rotating through this site.