AstraZeneca and the Broad Institute inked a collaboration focused on identifying new antibacterial and antiviral drug targets. The partnership will leverage the Broad Institute’s library of 100,000 diversity-orientated synthesis (DOS) compounds, which has been designed to contain molecular shapes and structures not available elsewhere, as potential starting points for currently intractable biological targets.
Under terms of the deal screening and hit-to-lead chemistry will take place in the Broad’s Chemical Biology Platform. AstraZeneca will optimize leads and carry out development and commercialization of resulting compounds. The firm says the collaboration has already yielded a number of potential new projects.
“We believe new and collaborative approaches between the private and public sectors will help speed the discovery and development of new treatments, particularly for antibiotic-resistant infections,” comments Manos Perros, M.D., vp and head of AstraZeneca’s infection innovation medicines unit. “We are very pleased to work hand-in-hand with the Broad Institute to combine our unique resources and strong histories in innovation, discovery, and development to speed advancements in treatments for infections.”
