Strategic alliance aims to improve UK drug discovery

The European Laboratory Research & Innovation group (ELRIG) UK and the British Pharmacological Society have announced a strategic alliance to drive the development of new medicines in the UK.

The two-year agreement will give both organisations access to each other’s scientific communities to help promote collaboration between industry, academia and the clinic in the field of drug development.

The two groups work in complementary sectors of the UK pharmaceutical and biotech industries, academia and clinical pharmacology. The alliance creates a framework for joint working on a variety of activities that will support both communities, encouraging a multidisciplinary approach that better facilitates the exchange of ideas and information. ELRIG UK and the British Pharmacological Society have committed to hosting joint and complementary meetings. The alliance also offers both groups a wider reach, to help grow their audiences, and create exciting new opportunities for early career professionals’ education and training.

ELRIG UK’s mission is to provide leading-edge knowledge to the life sciences community on an open access basis, via a programme of scientific meetings and events. The British Pharmacological Society promotes and advances pharmacology by hosting conferences, publishing peer-reviewed journals and supporting the development of educational materials and policy proposals.

Steve Rees, chairman of ELRIG UK, and VP of Discovery Biology at AstraZeneca, said: “The strategic alliance with the British Pharmacological Society formalises a joint goal of growth in the industrial and academic segments, and recognises the harmonies between our organisations. Joining forces will help us improve education, networking and other services available to our communities, allowing us to become more impactful advocates for the life sciences industry.”

Professor Steve Hill, president of the British Pharmacological Society, and professor of Molecular Pharmacology at the University of Nottingham, added: “We recognise that modern drug discovery is a multi-stakeholder process, and that professionals are likely to move between sectors throughout the course of their working lives. It therefore makes sense for our programmes to represent all facets of drug discovery, and we look forward to working with ELRIG UK to help achieve this goal.”