Pharmaceutical giant forms new partnership to find the cure for HIV
One of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies and one of the world’s leading universities have teamed up to research a cure for HIV/AIDS.
The mammoth British drugs company GlaxoSmithKline has formed a new first-of-its-kind venture as part of a 50/50 partnership with University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
The ambitious project – to which GSK will provide a team of top scientists and $20 million over five years – aims not to just prevent or treat HIV, but to actually cure it.
UNC-Chapel Hill will provide a team of 40 researchers to the project, to work alongside GSK’s team of scientists in perfecting the research.
The open-ended project is expected to focus on a number of already-promising research avenues, including a ‘kick and kill’ approach that has had some success eradicating HIV in cancer patients.
The new company, Qura Therapeutics, is the first of its kind as jointly-owned partnership across public and private science.
Carol L Folt, the University’s chancellor, said: “The excitement of this public-private partnership lies in its vast potential.
“Carolina has been at the forefront of HIV/AIDS research for the last 30 years.
“This first of its kind, joint-ownership model is a novel approach toward finding a cure, and we hope it serves as an invitation to the world’s best researchers and scientists.
“Today, Carolina’s best are taking another major step in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.”
Sir Andrew Witty, CEO of GSK, said: “This partnership is a testament to our past and present leadership, innovation and commitment to this field. We are inspired by the confidence that with the right resources and research teams, we will be able to make a meaningful impact towards a cure for HIV.”
