Academic Partnerships Help Merck Move Early Stage Research Forward

In a world in which collaboration has become the key to drug discovery and development, Merck (known as MSD outside of the US and Canada) has established itself as a truly committed collaboration partner. In March 2012, Merck announced that it will provide substantial support to the California Institute for Biomedical Research (Calibr)—a newly created, independent, not-for-profit organization established to accelerate the translation of academic basic research into innovative medicines.

This is just one of many ways in which Merck continues to demonstrate its commitment to creating and supporting innovative collaborations with academic researchers worldwide. The new Calibr center in San Diego was set up specifically to offer academic researchers streamlined and flexible paths for translating their basic biomedical research into new medicines.

The institute’s estimated 150 scientists will collaborate with academic researchers from around the world to advance new discoveries to preclinical proof of concept, at which stage commercial partnerships will be sought to bring promising opportunities further down the development pipeline.

Led by Peter Schultz, professor of chemistry at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego and founder of many research institutes and biotech startups in California, Calibr promises to become a new paradigm for early stage translational research.

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