Bayer HealthCare Announces Collaboration With The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

WHIPPANY, N.J., Dec. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer HealthCare announced today that the company has signed a master agreement for the performance of clinical trials with the Houston-based University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The agreement aims to bolster ongoing and future collaborative clinical programs in oncology and bring new cancer treatments to patients. The growing oncology franchise of Bayer HealthCare explores specific treatment approaches for various tumors, including such common types of cancer as prostate, colorectal and breast cancer, as well as rarer forms like kidney, liver and thyroid cancer. MD Anderson Cancer Center ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention.

The two organizations, as part of the agreement, have formed a joint committee comprising clinicians and scientists from Bayer HealthCare's sites in Berlin, Germany and Whippany, New Jersey and from MD Anderson in Houston, Texas, to plan and conduct clinical trials with investigational anti-cancer agents developed by Bayer HealthCare.

"We are looking forward to collaborating with MD Anderson and believe the collaboration will help to bring promising new cancer treatments to patients," noted Professor Andreas Busch, Head of Global Drug Discovery and Member of the Executive Committee of Bayer HealthCare. "MD Anderson has outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention. The alliance is another significant step underlining our focus in oncology."

"We look forward to working with our Bayer HealthCare colleagues to translate scientific discoveries into novel cancer therapeutics," said Professor Aman Buzdar, MD, Vice President, Clinical Research. "MD Anderson's deep expertise and knowledge in oncology complement Bayer HealthCare's decades of experience in pharmaceutical development."

As part of the company's overall innovation strategy, Bayer HealthCare is expanding its collaborative relationships with academia and life science firms all over the world.

"Bayer is committed to bringing collaborative leadership to life by fostering partnerships with world renowned research centers such as MD Anderson," said Kemal Malik, M.D., Head of Global Development, Bayer HealthCare. "The partnership will bring together thought-leading scientists who will focus on improving the understanding of the biological mechanism of cancer to help identify patients who are likely to respond to specific treatments."

About Oncology at Bayer HealthCare
Bayer HealthCare is committed to delivering science for a better life by advancing a portfolio of innovative treatments. The oncology franchise at Bayer HealthCare now includes three oncology products and several other compounds in various stages of clinical development. Together, these products reflect the company's approach to research, which prioritizes targets and pathways with the potential to impact the way that cancer is treated.

About Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. is the U.S.-based pharmaceuticals business of Bayer HealthCare LLC, a subsidiary of Bayer AG. Bayer HealthCare is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry, and combines the activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care, and Pharmaceuticals divisions. As a specialty pharmaceutical company, Bayer HealthCare provides products for General Medicine, Hematology, Neurology, Oncology and Women's Healthcare. The company's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human health worldwide by diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

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SOURCE Bayer HealthCare