Syngene International is launching a strategic collaboration with Johns Hopkins University to advance early-stage drug discovery. The CRDMO and the university will advance not only these programs, but also platform technologies from Johns Hopkins’ research labs.

Syngene and Johns Hopkins Leverage Platforms

Syngene plans to leverage its fully integrated discovery and development platform, SynVent, in the partnership. This platform, according to Syngene, addresses discovery biology, medicinal and synthetic chemistry, drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and early development.

Concurrently, Syngene’s Connector model will work to unite “relevant stakeholders” for research and licensing sponsorships for any resulting intellectual property. Syngene said Connector is designed to match high-potential early-stage assets and platforms with strategic investors as well as downstream partners.

Company and University Leaders Respond

Both sides of the new collaboration shared their thoughts on the alliance. Kenneth Barr, Syngene Senior Vice President and Head of Strategic Collaborations, noted Johns Hopkins’ prestigious reputation.

“We are delighted to be working with a renowned institution like Johns Hopkins,” Barr said. “We are uniquely positioned to translate pioneering research into credible therapeutic candidates.”

Barr said Syngene’s goal is to “significantly compress” time required for programs that have high potential to become clinically relevant.

This, he said, will create “a faster and more efficient pipeline of new medicines.”

Paul Nkansah, Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures, said the pact signifies a novel collaboration model. According to Nkansah, the partnership has potential to link discoveries from Johns Hopkins’ labs to Syngene’s drug discovery capabilities.

Not only that, Nkansah said, but the laboratories can show versatility to other pharmaceutical and biotech partners—and also, investors.

In this way, Johns Hopkins can turn science it calls “promising” into credible development programs. This in turn may ultimately result in better patient outcomes.