MONTREAL, and PICKERING, ON, March 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Purdue Pharma Canada, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and providing innovative medicines for patients and healthcare professionals, along with the NEOMED Institute, a public-private organization dedicated to drug discovery and the development of therapeutics up to human proof of concept, today announced that Purdue has become an industrial partner and thereby becomes one of the five leading pharmaceutical companies to support NEOMED's efforts to close the gap between great science and life-saving medicines.
As part of this partnership, Dr. Julie Ducharme, Purdue's Vice President, Research and Development, will hold a seat on NEOMED's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), with Purdue taking part in the selection of projects in NEOMED's portfolio and providing guidance on their progress. The SAB plays an active role in the evaluation of in-licensing opportunities and maximizes the chances of success of each potential drug in NEOMED's pipeline.
Dr. Ducharme brings to NEOMED's SAB nearly 20 years of industry experience in drug discovery and early drug development, with expertise in the fields of drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. At Purdue, Dr. Ducharme is responsible for building a robust and successful product pipeline to support Purdue Canada's growth strategy.
"This partnership marks an important milestone in our research efforts within Canada, and furthering the success of potential drug candidates in NEOMED's pipeline aligns well with our research goals at Purdue," said Dr. Ducharme, who earned her BPharm, MSc, and PhD degrees at the Université de Montréal, and held post-doctoral fellowships at McGill University and the Université René-Descartes et Paris-Sud (Paris).
Philippe Walker, Chief Scientific Officer at the NEOMED Institute, said, "NEOMED welcomes the opportunity to build stronger links with Purdue's research team in Canada. Purdue has been an R&D pioneer – with a track record of successfully commercializing innovative formulations of central nervous system stimulants and pain medications in Canada, and we look forward to their valuable contribution in support of our mission."
"This partnership supports Purdue Canada's goal of diversifying our existing portfolio and strengthening our research capabilities through external collaboration," said Dr. Craig Landau, President & CEO of Purdue Pharma Canada. "Importantly, this agreement demonstrates our commitment to advancing Canadian scientific excellence through strategic partnerships."
ABOUT PURDUE PHARMA CANADA
Purdue Pharma Canada is a research-based pharmaceutical company with its headquarters, R&D operations, and manufacturing located in Pickering, Ontario. The company is a leader in the research and development of medicines for the treatment of pain and central nervous system disorders (ADHD). Privately held, Purdue Pharma Canada is independently associated with the worldwide Purdue/Napp/Mundipharma group of companies.
For more information, please visit our website: http://www.purdue.ca
ABOUT THE NEOMED INSTITUTE
The NEOMED Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to create a bridge between basic research and the commercialization of new drugs by providing industrial expertise in drug discovery and development, combined with funding and a favourable ecosystem, to transform innovations into solid therapeutic solutions. NEOMED drives drug discovery activities up to the stage of human proof of concept. The NEOMED Institute has two fully integrated research and development facilities: one in Technoparc Montréal's Saint-Laurent Campus, specializing in small molecule therapeutics, and the other facility, specializing in the development of biologics and vaccines, in Laval. Both facilities function as open-access drug discovery hubs housing independent commercial businesses and providing a dynamic environment that stimulates collaboration, innovation, and creativity.
The NEOMED Institute is jointly funded by the pharmaceutical industry, the Ministère de l'Économie, de la Science et de l'Innovation du Québec, and the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) of Canada.
For more information, please visit our website: www.neomed.ca
SOURCE Purdue Pharma
Aimee Sulliman, Director of Communications, Purdue Pharma Canada, 575 Granite Court, Pickering, Ontario L1W 3W8, 905-420-6400, [email protected]; Rachel Cogdell, Communications Coordinator, NEOMED Institute, 7171 Frederick-Banting, Montreal, Quebec H4S 1Z9, 514-367-1212 x209, [email protected]
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