Galapagos NV announced that its service division, BioFocus DPI, has initiated a drug discovery collaboration with Schering-Plough Research Institute (SPRI).

Under the terms of the agreement, BioFocus DPI will perform medicinal chemistry with supporting biology and ADME/PK services for multiple Schering-Plough drug discovery projects. Total contract value for Galapagos is €2.8 million over a one year period.

Building on a collaboration established in May 2009 and expanded this month, BioFocus DPI scientists will work with two of SPRI's European sites on these drug discovery projects.

"We are pleased to build on our collaborative relationship with SPRI, which has evolved into one of the larger for BioFocus DPI this year with over 20 research staff currently engaged," said Onno van de Stolpe, CEO of Galapagos. "BioFocus DPI has proven resilient in securing large collaborations with strong partners, amidst consolidation and reorganization in the pharma industry."

Galapagos is a drug discovery and development company with small molecule programs in bone and joint diseases, bone metastasis, cachexia, anti-infectives and metabolic diseases. Its division BioFocus DPI offers a full suite of target-to-drug discovery products and services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies as well as not-for-profit organizations, encompassing target discovery and validation, screening and drug discovery through to delivery of pre-clinical candidates.