NCCS and NUH will be given access to up to six candidates until 2012.
AstraZeneca will partner with the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and the National University Hospital (NUH) to develop anticancer compounds. Specifically, drug candidates will target inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma.
Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, NCCS and NUH will gain access to up to six AstraZeneca compounds that have already undergone initial clinical testing in the West. The collaboration will span clinical and preclinical development activities. NCCS and NUH will assess activity of these candidates in the mouse in vivo primary hepatocellular carcinoma explant model.
Two AstraZeneca compounds have already been identified for clinical screening. Further compounds will be made available at a rate of one per year for the duration of the partnership, which is in place until 2012.
AstraZeneca retains the option to assume further development and marketing of all drugs made available under this deal.
The partnership also includes a Training Program placement with the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, which seeks to train a pool of clinical research professionals for both private-sector and public-sector research labs.
