New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Drug maker Sanofi-aventis today said it and Oxford University have entered into an agreement with INDOX to conduct cancer treatment research in India.
The initiative will focus on conducting multi-phase oncology clinical and translational research with INDOX, India’'s leading academic oncology network, the company said in a statement.
Through this partnership, Sanofi-aventis will have access to the expertise and experience of India’'s top oncologists and scientists to conduct clinical research to the highest internationally recognised ethical standards, it added. “The collaboration between Sanofi-aventis, Oxford University and the Indian Cancer Centers fosters a model for academic researchers and industry to work together for the benefit of patients,” Sanofi-aventis MD, Senior Vice President and Head of Oncology Debasish Roychowdhury said.
According to the agreement, Sanofi-aventis will provide financial support to Oxford University to manage the INDOX network of eight leading cancer-research centres across India.
“This relationship not only helps to train the next generation of cancer researchers in India, but also allows Sanofi-aventis to efficiently develop drugs in the premier cancer centers in India,” Roychowdhury added.
Speaking on the agreement, Professor of Cancer Medicine, University of Oxford & co-chair of the INDOX scientific review board David Kerr said: “We are excited about the opportunity to work with Sanofi-aventis to advance cancer research and to validate targets more quickly and efficiently to shorten the time it takes to move a molecule from laboratory to clinic.”
The university will provide training and support to investigators and research coordinators to help ensure that each centre has the capacity, expertise and infrastructure to perform clinical trials.
INDOX is a partnership between the Institute of Cancer Medicine at the University of Oxford and India’'s top nine comprehensive cancer centres.
