Merck Serono Announces Collaboration in Basic and Clinical Research in Multiple Sclerosis

21-Dec-2009 - Switzerland

Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, announced a strategic collaboration with US ranked Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, to advance basic and clinical research in multiple sclerosis (MS), with the goal of generating new and innovative discoveries that advance treatment for people living with this condition. The multi-faceted agreement will run for up to 5 years, with the potential to renew the alliance thereafter. Both parties decided not to disclose financial details.

The collaboration will focus on three key areas, each with the goal of identifying new and better ways to manage neurodegenerative conditions including MS:

- The first is to enhance an existing long-term, longitudinal, clinical assessment of people living with MS, based on the CLIMB study (Comprehensive Longitudinal Investigation of Multiple Sclerosis at Brigham and Women's Hospital). Each patient in the study will be assessed over a period of 10 years; currently 800 patients are enrolled, with an expansion of this study to 2000 subjects underway. This longitudinal database will be analyzed to identify novel aspects of disease characteristics, treatment responses, and disease-modifying factors. The data gathered from this assessment of people living with MS over a long period of time may be useful in the generation of new clinical endpoints for future interventional trials.

- The second goal of the collaboration is to identify MS-related biomarkers. These samples will be analyzed for the purposes of evaluating identified target biomarkers; exploring and validating new biomarkers; correlating biomarkers with clinical and MRI outcomes; and designing an interventional proof-of-concept study.

- The third goal of the collaboration is to identify unique targets on resident cells of the central nervous system and assess their potential impact in neurodegenerative diseases including MS. These studies are important to better understand ways to achieve neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases.Additional projects may be added to the scope of the collaboration on an ongoing basis.

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/111068/merck-serono-announces-collaboration-in-basic-and-clinical-research-in-multiple-sclerosis.html