Mount Sinai, Pfizer Renew Research Collaboration, Building on Strong Foundation
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Pfizer Inc.’s Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) recently announced the renewal of an agreement designed to identify and advance new drug candidates linked to major diseases, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, colitis, heart failure, Alzheimer’s disease, and cystic fibrosis.
In 2010, Mount Sinai became one of the first academic medical centers to enter into a collaboration with CTI, a Pfizer research group with the aim of speeding novel drugs toward approval for use in the clinic. The collaboration allows Mount Sinai investigators to submit research proposals to CTI, and for CTI to provide funding and drug development expertise, which can facilitate the development of new therapies. To date, five Mount Sinai projects have been funded through this process, focusing mainly in the areas of diabetes, autoimmune disease and cancer.
Project proposals are chosen through a rigorous vetting process by a steering committee composed of leading Pfizer and Mount Sinai scientists. Funded projects must have the strong potential to address an unmet medical need. Resulting research collaborations complement the biological expertise at Mount Sinai with Pfizer’s drug discovery and development capabilities, including the ability to create antibodies and small-molecules.
“Best–in-class translational research rarely occurs in a vacuum. Mount Sinai is dedicated to bringing therapeutics from the bench to the bedside, to improve health outcomes. Capitalizing on the synergies between industry and academic capabilities brings us closer to this goal,” said Erik Lium, PhD, Senior Vice President of Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP), the technology development and commercialization arm of Mount Sinai.
According to CTI’s Chief Scientific Officer, Anthony J. Coyle, PhD, “CTI and Mount Sinai have a long-standing and exceptional track record of research collaboration aimed at bringing early-stage medical discoveries towards the clinic. This renewed commitment will further enhance our alliance.”
About MSIP
MSIP facilitates the real-world application and commercialization of Mount Sinai discoveries and the development of research partnerships with industry. MSIP is responsible for the full spectrum of commercialization activities required to bring the Icahn School of Medicine’s inventions to life. These activities include evaluating, patenting, marketing, and licensing new technologies, while also engaging commercial and non-profit relationships for sponsored research, material transfer, and confidentiality. For more information, visit www.ip.mountsinai.org.
# #
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the nation’s leading integrated academic health systems and one of the largest in the New York metropolitan area. Its comprehensive system includes seven hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, over 600 research and clinical laboratories, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing. Together, the Health System comprises approximately 48,000 employees, more than 9,000 physicians, and 8,600 nurses.
As a leading learning health system, Mount Sinai combines clinical expertise with scientific discovery to improve patient care while training the next generation of health care and biomedical leaders. The Health System provides care across every stage of life, from prenatal care through geriatrics, while advancing personalized medicine through artificial intelligence, data science, and biomedical research.
Mount Sinai is consistently recognized among the nation’s leading academic health systems for patient care, research, and education. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 1 in New York by Newsweek and No. 5 on the magazine’s World’s Best Hospitals list. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai ranks No. 11 among U.S. medical schools and No. 1 among freestanding medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding, reflecting the strength of its scientific enterprise and leadership in biomedical research.