AstraZeneca PLC in Deal to Make Experimental Drugs Available to UK Scientists

The announcement comes on the same day that David Cameron unveils a new strategy designed to increase collaboration between industry, scientists and the NHS in a bid to aid Britain's £50bn life sciences industry. The Prime Minister will also announce plans to share the NHS patient database with private companies for medical research purposes. Drug makers are coming under pressure to seek innovative research and development models as they struggle to curb costs. Astra's pact with the Medical Research Council (MRC), the first of its kind, will offer 22 clinical compounds to academics for free.