Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(OMJPI) announced the signing of a five-year collaboration agreement with the David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Called TRANSCEND, the collaboration agreement will foster oncology research and technology development in the areas of cancer diagnostics, cancer biology pre-malignancies, genetic models of disease, and profiles of the tumour microenvironment.

"The TRANSCEND programme embodies our external innovation approach to research," said William N Hait, M.D., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, for Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C., an affiliate of Ortho-McNeil Janssen. "By collaborating with leading academic institutions and colleagues at the interface of engineering and biology, we're able to bring together the best scientific minds in industry and academia to meet unmet medical needs in patients with cancer."

A Joint Scientific Steering Committee composed of MIT faculty members and Ortho-McNeil Janssen employees will jointly review and select proposals from MIT researchers for funding. Projects will involve interdisciplinary faculty, students and staff to address oncology solutions. In addition, there is the potential for visiting scientists from Ortho-McNeil Janssen to participate in projects within the investigators' laboratories at the Koch Institute.

"The visiting scientist aspect of the program is designed to promote interactive exchange between our organizations at the bench," said Hait. "We believe both organizations will benefit from our scientists' experience of learning, interacting and innovating together."

Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OMJPI) provides medicines for an array of health concerns. The company strives to provide innovative, high quality, safe and effective treatments and continually seeks new opportunities to offer solutions for unmet health care needs.