Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Bayer have agreed on a five-year strategic research alliance to evaluate new drug candidates for the treatment of kidney diseases, with the goal of accelerating the translation of innovative approaches from the laboratory to pre-clinical development.
Patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) face dialysis, transplantation or palliative care as their only therapeutic options. There is no effective treatment available that can prevent the cardiovascular consequences of chronic kidney disease and at the same time reduce the progression to ESRD. The goal is to develop two new investigational drugs addressing the medical need of ESRD within the time frame of this strategic research alliance.
“We are excited about this partnership with Bayer to develop new drugs and novel therapies to target patients who have kidney diseases and to stop their progression,” said Raymond Harris, M.D., director of Vanderbilt’s Division of Nephrology.
“There is a definite need for new drugs to treat kidney disease,” he said. “At least 30 million people in the U.S. have kidney disease — and it is greater in the African-American, Hispanic, Native American and Pacific Islander populations. We have a severe shortage and limited number of kidneys available through living and cadaver donors. We don’t have enough options. The best thing would be to never have to go on dialysis.”
VUMC and Bayer established the agreement to jointly conduct research activities including target validation, assay development and lead optimization. Both parties will contribute personnel and infrastructure to address important scientific questions. Bayer will have an option for the exclusive use of the collaboration’s results.
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