GlaxoSmithKline and Fiocruz extend their cooperation to research and develop new drugs for tropical diseases unknown.

This new framework of collaboration is based on a relationship between Fiocruz and GlaxoSmithKline established in 1985 to make priority vaccines for the Brazilian public health, as well as those intended to immunize people against polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), mumps, rubella, measles, rotavirus, and most recently, disease-related pneumonia. Furthermore, this relationship has also supported the development of research and manufacturing in Brazil through technology transfer and scientific collaboration.

The extension of the agreement between the two entities will allow scientists of Fiocruz and GSK’s Tres Cantos Madrid, sharing of research results, display new ideas and knowledge in areas such as Malaria, Tuberculosis, Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis. In this way, the agreement will focus on Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis due to the experience of Fiocruz in these diseases and the heavy burden of medical needs of people suffering from these diseases.

The new Alliance will be based on the strategy of open innovation of GSK, which aims to foster partnerships, offering access to the infrastructure, processes and the experience of the scientists working in Tres Cantos and Fiocruz.

As explained Dr. Nick Cammack, SVP and Head of the Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus: in GSK are committed to collaboration in the search for new treatments for many diseases that affect millions of people in much of the world ”.

On the other hand, Fiocruz ’ s Vice President of Production and Innovation, Dr. Carlos Gadelha, pointed out that this agreement with Tres Cantos, Fiocruz will expand partnership with GSK with the aim of discovering and developing new drugs against unknown diseases. In this way, will meet the recognised experience of both institutions in an area of great impact on public health ”.

About GSK

Medicines development, Tres Cantos is dedicated to research and discovery of new drugs to combat diseases of countries in the process of developed. In January 2010, GSK set up the Lab Open Foundation non-profit. Open Lab Foundation was created to facilitate collaborations between schools and industry. GSK has made it possible that up to 60 scientists around the world have access to facilities of GSK in Tres Cantos. Also shared with external scientists – with funds from the Foundation Open Lab – skills, knowledge and infrastructure of the company, at the same time pursuing their own projects as part of an integrated team to discover new drugs.

On the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz)

The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) was established on 25 may 1900, with the name of the Soroterapico Federal Institute. The Fiocruz mission was to combat the problems of public health of Brazil. For this reason, Fiocruz became an institution committed to the Brazilian reality and experimental medicine.

Promoting social development and health, develop and disseminate scientific and technological knowledge to be an agent of the citizenship, are concepts that have been linked to the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation with the Brazilian Ministry of health and the most important institutions of science and technology in health in Latin America.

Currently, Fiocruz is responsible for the development of research on the production of vaccines, drugs, reagents and kits for diagnosis. Their activity ranges from education and professional training, information and communication in health, science and technology; control of quality of products and services and the implementation of social programmes. It has more than 7,500 employees and professionals and researchers.