London, UK, 15 April 2013: MRC Technology, a technology transfer organisation, announced today it has entered into a strategic collaboration with EMBL Enterprise Management Technology Transfer GmbH (EMBLEM), the exclusive technology transfer partner of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). The initiative will focus on identification of novel druggable targets in the field of small molecules and antibodies, and collaborating to fast track those targets through drug discovery to create potent and selective novel therapeutics.
The agreement brings together EMBLEM’s experience in supporting academics in one of the world’s leading locations for scientific research, with MRC Technology’s dedicated expertise in translating novel biology targets into lead stage therapeutic assets.
Dr Dave Tapolczay, MRC Technology’s CEO, commented, “Heidelberg is a world centre for academic research and we are delighted to be collaborating with EMBLEM, and researchers from the EMBL Chemical Biology group. The skills of the two organisations are highly complementary, and the initiative further strengthens MRC Technology’s academic drug development and commercialization network - ultimately working towards improving the rate at which academic research is translated into new medicines.”
EMBLEM’s Managing Director, Dr. Gábor Lamm, said “We work closely with a network of partners to develop technologies to a sufficient level of maturity such that they can be transferred to industry. We look forward to working with MRC Technology to identify projects for collaborative screening and further development.”
For more information about the collaboration please contact Duncan Young (duncan.young@tech.mrc.ac.uk)
Contacts:
MRC Technology
Suzy Hargreaves
Marketing & Communications Officer
E-mail: shargreaves@tech.mrc.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)20 7391 2798
Media contact
Sarah Jeffery
Zyme Communications
E-mail: sarah.jeffery@zymecommunications.com
Phone: +44 (0) 7771 730919
About MRC Technology
MRC Technology (www.mrctechnology.org) is a technology transfer organisation responsible for adding commercial value to cutting edge scientific discoveries through strategic patent protection, creative licensing of intellectual property (IP), partnered research or further scientific development.
As well as offering technology transfer services to the UK’s Medical Research Council the Company has recently broadened its activity to include helping other charitable and academic organisations (such as AICR) with IP management and commercial development of healthcare-related science, thus bringing valuable income back to the organisations to help fund further research.
MRC Technology also has small molecule drug discovery and therapeutic antibody facilities, providing lead-stage therapeutic assets to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. MRC Technology also has small molecule drug discovery and therapeutic antibody facilities, providing lead-stage therapeutic assets to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.
About EMBLEM
EMBL Enterprise Management Technology Transfer GmbH (EMBLEM) (www.embl-em.de) is an affiliate and the commercial arm of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). EMBLEM, established in 1999 identifies, protects and commercialises the intellectual property developed in the EMBL-world, from EMBL-alumni and from third parties. EMBLEM facilitates and accelerates the transfer of innovative technology from basic research to industry by working closely with industrial partners spanning the biotech, IT and mechanical/electrical engineering markets to develop new diagnostics, drugs, therapies, machines and devices.
