Bayer extends research alliance with Millennium

Bayer and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, are to expand their research alliance to cover the identification of new drug targets relevant to thrombosis, urinary incontinence and benign prostatic hypertrophy.

The alliance, which began in 1998, involves the use of gene analyses to find new active substances for cardiovascular disease, cancer, pain, hematology, thrombosis, viral infections and urological diseases. More than 140 disease-relevant targets have been identified, and many of these have moved into assay development and high-throughput screening. Six lead compounds have been identified, the first of which could enter clinical testing soon.

'We are optimistic that we will reach our goal of 30 development candidates,' said Professor Wolfgang Hartwig, executive vice president of pharmaceuticals research at Bayer.