Bayer Schering Pharma and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have agreed to cooperate in the field of pre-clinical cancer research. The initial collaboration with the NUS will focus on three joint projects in the field of oncology. Overall, Bayer is committed to invest up to 10 million Euro in research and development activities in Singapore over the next five to eight years in partnership with Singapore-based universities, hospitals, research institutes and companies.

"This investment in collaboration agreements with scientific institutions in Asia underscores our commitment to develop novel cancer drugs," said Prof Andreas Busch, head of Global Drug Discovery and member of the Board of Bayer Schering Pharma. "We are looking forward to work together with the experts at NUS and to make use of Singapore's excellent translational research capabilities and world class research infrastructure to develop and further advance new anti-cancer therapies. We also see this agreement as the start of further research collaborations in Singapore that Bayer will continue to invest in."

The goal of the joint projects with NUS is to profile oncology drugs in Asian populations, to identify novel biomarkers and to investigate novel tumour models with high relevance for the clinical situation.

Prof John Wong, dean of Medical School of National University of Singapore said, "As a comprehensive tertiary institution with significant expertise and interest in translational clinical research, the university looks forward to entering this strategic research collaboration with Bayer that builds on NUS' existing research capabilities and Bayer Schering Pharma's expertise in drug development. We are hopeful that our joint efforts will translate into discoveries to innovation therapies that will benefit Singaporeans and patients around the world."