Dive Brief:
- Bayer Healthcare and the University of Oxford in the UK are initiating collaboration to develop treatments for endometriosis and uterine fibroids.
- Endometriosis affects 10% of women of reproductive age, while uterine fibroids affect 5% to 10% of premenopausal women. There is a significant unmet medical need associated with both conditions.
- All basic research and early clinical trials will be shared. The University of Oxford will received milestone payments from Bayer—the amounts have not been disclosed.
Dive Insight:
University of Oxford has expert knowledge in the area of developing targets, with one area of focus being gynecologic diseases. All of the joint research will be carried out in Oxford and at Bayer’s R&D center in Berlin. According to Oxford University’s vice chancellor Andrew Hamilton, “this collaboration draws on the particular skill sets of each partner in the development of innovative new therapies that could benefit millions of women around the world, and shows Oxford’s commitment to work jointly with industry to develop novel medicines.”