Harvard University and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (ONO) have launched a strategic alliance today to advance research across a broad range of therapeutic areas. This collaborative effort marks a significant commitment to identify and develop first-in-class therapeutics for medical conditions in the areas of oncology, immunology, neurology, and specialty.

Through a five-year strategic research alliance spearheaded by Harvard’s Office of Technology Development, the request for proposals will be for research projects focused on the validation of novel therapeutic targets from labs across Harvard University including Harvard Medical School, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Wyss Institute, and others. ONO will support and fund research projects that are jointly selected. The Harvard Medical School Therapeutics Translator will play a key role in advancing later-stage projects. With the combined expertise and resources of both Harvard and ONO, this strategic alliance focuses on critical health challenges to impact patient care.

Corporate partnerships such as this one bridge the gap between academic research and tangible, real-world medical applications. Focusing on multiple medical challenges and working with labs across Harvard University, the alliance will advance research toward the validation of therapeutic targets and the discovery of new drugs.

"We are pleased to work together with Harvard University, a leading institution developing cutting-edge technologies and advancing research through strategic alliances such as this one,” stated Toichi Takino, Senior Executive Officer / Executive Director, Discovery & Research at Ono Pharmaceutical. “Our alliance with Harvard University leverages the complementary strengths to accelerate the validation of novel therapeutic targets that would lead to the discovery of new drugs. We will continue to work hard to deliver innovative drugs for patients with unmet medical needs. "

Harvard’s Office of Technology Development has begun to identify numerous research projects to be funded by the alliance.