Bayer and Vanderbilt University Medical Center collaborate to develop new therapies against kidney diseases

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Sep 11, 2017, 08:00 ET

BERLIN, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., have agreed on a five-year strategic research alliance to join forces in the fight against kidney diseases. The partners will jointly evaluate new drug candidates for the treatment of kidney diseases with the goal of accelerating the translation of innovative approaches from the laboratory to pre-clinical development.

Patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESDR) face dialysis, transplantation or palliative care as their only therapeutical options. There is no effective treatment available that can prevent the cardiovascular consequences of chronic kidney disease and at the same time reduce the progression to ESRD. The goal is to develop two investigational new drugs addressing the medical need of ESDR within the time frame of this strategic research alliance.

"Bayer is committed to further expanding its research efforts in the area of renal diseases", said Dr. Andreas Busch, member of the Executive Committee of Bayer AG's Pharmaceuticals Division and Head of Drug Discovery. "We are seeking to join forces with industrial and academic partners to develop innovative drug candidates and to eventually offer patients new treatment options. Therefore, we are pleased to partner with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which is among the academic leaders in kidney disease and clinical translation."

"Our mission is to perform innovative research and translate discoveries to prevent, diagnose, and cure kidney diseases", said Professor Ray Harris, director of the Vanderbilt Center for Kidney Disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "Bayer and Vanderbilt University Medical Center will jointly work on multiple projects, combining their expertise. This additional research will allow us to make advances in the area of kidney diseases."

Under the agreement, Bayer and Vanderbilt University Medical Center will jointly conduct research activities including target validation, assay development and lead optimization. Both parties will contribute personnel and infrastructure to address important scientific questions. Bayer will have an option for the exclusive use of the collaboration results. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Kidney Diseases
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive loss of renal function over several months to years, characterized by gradual replacement of normal kidney architecture (nephrons) with interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. The progressive destruction of nephrons causes a decreased glomerular filtration rate, which very often leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis treatment or kidney transplantation. The main causes underlying chronic kidney disease are: diabetes, high blood pressure, and glomerulonephritis.

About Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Managing more than 2 million patient visits each year, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is one of the largest academic medical centers in the Southeast, and is the primary resource for specialty and primary care in hundreds of adult and pediatric specialties for patients throughout Tennessee and the Mid-South. The School of Medicine's biomedical research program is among the nation's top 10 in terms of National Institutes of Health peer review funding, receiving more than $500 million in public and private awards during 2016. The Medical Center is the region's locus of postgraduate medical education, with over 1,000 residents and fellows training in more than 100 specialty areas. The Vanderbilt Center for Kidney Disease has a long and notable history of the study, treatment, causes, and potential therapies of kidney disease. For more information, go to https://ww2.mc.vanderbilt.edu/

Bayer: Science For A Better Life

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2016, the Group employed around 115,200 people and had sales of EUR 46.8 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.7 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.us.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer 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.

SOURCE Bayer