Takeda and Harrington Discovery Institute to Develop Rare Disease Therapeutics

Takeda Pharmaceutical and Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio announced a multi-year collaboration to accelerate therapeutic discoveries in rare diseases.

This collaboration with Takeda will build on Harrington Discovery Institute's operating model to create a new program specifically for the advancement of medicines for rare diseases. This collaboration will complement Takeda's strategic R&D focus in its therapeutic areas of oncology, gastroenterology and central nervous system disorders. The new program will focus on M.D. and Ph.D. researchers from the United States, developing disruptive and transformative research, which shows promise for translation into novel treatments.

"Takeda is committed to supporting and developing transformative therapies for social benefit – so are we," Jonathan S. Stamler, MD, President, Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine said. "We are delighted to see Takeda's confidence in us to advance early stage discoveries in a major area of unmet medical need. Through this partnering model that bridges academia and industry, we will jointly leverage our financial and human capital to accelerate the pace of cures for rare diseases."

Researchers in the program will have access to grant funding from the Harrington Discovery Institute and hands-on drug development capability and project management from experts in its Innovation Support Center. Researchers will also have access to Takeda's internal research and development experts.

"This collaboration is another example of how Takeda is focused on fostering partnerships between academia and industry and its increasing commitment to the development of medicines in rare diseases, particularly in our therapeutic areas of focus in oncology, gastroenterology and central nervous system disorders," Daniel Curran, MD, Head of the Center for External Innovation, Takeda said. "We believe Harrington Discovery Institute has a unique structure that is immensely helpful to academic researchers who are developing novel therapeutics that can result in significant impact for patients. Our collaboration demonstrates a new way of business that is driven by a shared vision and mission."

The Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio – part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development – aims to advance medicine and society by enabling physician-scientists to turn discoveries into medicines that improve human health. The institute was created in 2012 with a $50 million founding gift from the Harrington family.