Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. and AstraZeneca (UK) have entered into an agreement for respiratory research collaboration.

Through its immunology (inflammation, allergy) research programmes, one of the company’s core research areas, Sumitomo has been conducting research in the respiratory therapeutic area to discover novel mechanisms which could deliver a paradigm shift in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Recently Sumitomo has successfully discovered a series of promising compounds.

In order to accelerate this R&D programm, Sumitomo wished to collaborate with a partner who has expertise and experience in respiratory therapeutic area. AstraZeneca, having a long-standing and trusting relationship with Sumitomo, recognized the value of these compounds and fully qualified for such requirements.

The purpose of this collaboration is to discover promising novel compounds for clinical development. AstraZeneca and Sumitomo have agreed to work together and will mutually benefit from subsequent commercialization.

The two companies will start the collaborative research programme immediately with the aim of delivering compounds for clinical development as soon as possible. Through this project, Sumitomo expects to deliver global pharmaceutical products in the immunology (inflammation, allergy) area, subsequent to its anti-rheumatoid drug, which the company is developing independently in European countries.