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Pioneering government-sponsored drug repositioning collaborations: progress and learning

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery volume 14, pages 833–841 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

A new model for translational research and drug repositioning has recently been established based on three-way partnerships between public funders, the pharmaceutical industry and academic investigators. Through two pioneering initiatives — one involving the Medical Research Council in the United Kingdom and one involving the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health in the United States — new investigations of highly characterized investigational compounds have been funded and are leading to the exploration of known mechanisms in new disease areas. This model has been extended beyond these first two initiatives. Here, we discuss the progress to date and the unique requirements and challenges for this model.

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Acknowledgements

The UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the US National Institute of Health (NIH) initiatives were supported by a large range of individuals within the MRC and the NIH as well as external investigators, and investigators from AstraZeneca and Medimmune. At the risk of excluding many, in particular the authors would like to thank J. Latimer (MRC), C. Colvis and B. Dunn (NIH–NCATS), G. Wilkinson, C. Wilks, A. Longton, S. Curran, K. Hickling and the members of the New Opportunities Emerging Innovations Unit (AstraZeneca). The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution made by all those involved and the exciting ideas and proposals received from academic investigators.

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Author notes

  1. Donald E. Frail

    Present address: Present address: Research and External Science and Innovation, Allergan, Inc., 2525 Dupont Drive, Irvine, California 92612, USA.,

  2. Madeleine Brady

    Present address: Present address: Global Medical Affairs Oncology, Global Medicines Development, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Melbourn Science Park, Cambridge Road, Melbourn, Herts SG8 6EE, UK.,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emerging Innovations Unit, Scientific Partnering & Alliances, AstraZeneca, 35 Gatehouse Drive, Waltham, 02451, Massachusetts, USA

    Donald E. Frail

  2. Emerging Innovations Unit, Scientific Partnering & Alliances, AstraZeneca, Melbourn Science Park, Cambridge Road, Melbourn, SG8 6EE, Herts, UK

    Madeleine Brady

  3. Emerging Innovations Unit, Scientific Partnering & Alliances, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Melbourn Science Park, Cambridge Road, Melbourn, SG8 6EE, Herts, UK

    K. Jane Escott, Alison Holt & Hitesh J. Sanganee

  4. Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Melbourn Science Park, Cambridge Road, Melbourn, SG8 6EE, Herts, UK

    Menelas N. Pangalos

  5. Medical Research Council, 14th Floor, One Kemble Street, WC2B 4AN, London, UK

    Chris Watkins

  6. Emerging Innovations Unit, Scientific Partnering & Alliances, AstraZeneca, 35 Gatehouse Drive, Waltham, 02451, Massachusetts, USA

    Craig D. Wegner

Authors
  1. Donald E. Frail
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Donald E. Frail.

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Competing interests

M.N.P., C.D.W., H.J.S., M.B. and K.J.E are employees of AstraZeneca, D.E.F. is an employee of Allergan and C.W. is an employee of the UK Medical Research Council.

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Supplementary information

Supplementary information S1 (table)

List of AstraZeneca compounds offered in the MRC, NIH and NRPB initiatives (PDF 84 kb)

Supplementary information S2 (table)

Example of an AstraZeneca compound summary used in the MRC 'mechanisms of disease' call for proposals (PDF 102 kb)

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Frail, D., Brady, M., Escott, K. et al. Pioneering government-sponsored drug repositioning collaborations: progress and learning. Nat Rev Drug Discov 14, 833–841 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd4707

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