Lombardy government set to rescue cash-strapped Nerviano

The Lombardy government in Italy has promised to do all it can to save Vatican-owned biotech company Nerviano Medical Sciences (NMS), which has run out of cash.

Regional officials, including the governor, Roberto Formigoni, have met the Milan-based firm's management and owner, Congregazione dei Figli dell'Immacolata Concezione (CFIC), to discuss a way out of the difficulties.

Members of the three main Italian trade unions and scientists who work at the NMS oncology research centre were also at the meeting.

The Lombardy government said it was determined to keep the company afloat.

"We are looking for a solution which will protect workers and safeguard the future of an essential part of research for Lombardy and the entire country," said Formigoni.

The Lombardy government said all parties had agreed as a matter of urgency to deal with the financial problems so that the research centre could be saved and its work continued. It intends to draw up a business plan to attract investors so that more funding for NMS can be raised. The parties also hope to start a dialogue with government ministers.

The next meeting has been fixed for 16 April.

The Lombardy government's decision came after intense lobbying from scientists.

Gruppo 2003, made up of Italy's most renowned scientists, started an online petition, which stated that 650 scientists and a total of 1,000 staff would be made redundant if the NMS drugs research centre closed.

They said CFIC appeared to be more interested in the real estate on which the centre is located than the medical research taking place inside it.

NMS's most advanced drug is danusertib, which has successfully completed Phase I and II trials and is the first inhibitor of the oncogene Aurora, a protein involved in uncontrolled cell proliferation in a large number of tumours.