Sanofi-aventis announced a research collaboration with Harvard University. The goal of the collaboration is to advance knowledge in the area of human health through basic and applied research and to promote scientific exchange between Harvard University and sanofi-aventis. The focus of this collaboration is translational biomedical research in multiple therapeutic areas such as cancer, diabetes and inflammation.

“I’m delighted by the collaboration with sanofi-aventis, which joins together leaders in academic research and industry to more rapidly advance groundbreaking research from the lab to the clinic,” said Steven E Hyman, Provost of Harvard University. “This collaboration exemplifies Harvard’s commitment to creatively partner with industry in ways that we hope will push the boundaries of translational science, and advance our mandate of serving the public interest by making the fruits of our research available to society.”

The collaboration will support a number of activities over the term of the agreement through the granting of funding awards. Harvard University investigators will propose research projects across a wide range of areas. The funded projects will be selected by a Joint Scientific Steering Committee comprised of representatives of sanofi-aventis and Harvard, respectively. Projects will be awarded funding based on their scientific merit and potential to generate translational insight and value to biomedical research. These awards will provide Harvard researchers with focused, flexible and rapidly available financial support to enable research projects aimed at generating new knowledge and the development of innovative healthcare solutions in areas of high patient need. The collaboration provides sanofi-aventis the opportunity to develop diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic applications of discoveries made.

As part of the relationship with Harvard, sanofi-aventis will periodically evaluate technologies that may be of interest which are identified by Harvard’s Office of Technology Development. To further this exchange of ideas, sanofi-aventis will host an annual scientific forum that will bring together sanofi-aventis and university researchers to share knowledge and opinions on relevant scientific matters and to review progress of research projects funded through the collaboration.

“Our relationship with Harvard underscores sanofi-aventis’ approach of leveraging our innovative internal resources while actively engaging a range of external partners to develop healthcare solutions,” said Marc Cluzel, executive vice-president, Research & Development, sanofi-aventis. “We are hopeful that promoting open scientific exchange between Harvard’s leading biological researchers and sanofi-aventis’ drug development environment will drive significant healthcare advances.  We are very excited about this collaboration.”