Merck has entered into a research collaboration focused on cancer metabolism with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), located in Heidelberg, Germany. The collaboration with EMBL is well-aligned with Merck’s research and development (R&D) strategy in biopharma to complement its capabilities in early-stage oncology research with external innovation - particularly in specific modalities, including cancer metabolism.
The aim of the collaboration is to investigate mechanisms by which cancer cells generate energy and growth-enabling building blocks, which could ultimately deliver novel therapeutic targets, as well as biomarkers. The collaboration partners will make use of EMBL’s extended capacities and capabilities in the area of metabolomics.
“We are thrilled to enter into this new collaboration with EMBL. It will allow us to access state-of-the-art technologies and know-how, which complement our internal research efforts. It has become clear that cancer cells engage metabolic pathways to support growth and treatment resistance. Together with EMBL, we have the opportunity to characterise this phenomenon on the molecular level which will be instrumental for the development of novel therapies that target metabolic pathways in cancer,” said Andree Blaukat, head of the translational innovation platform oncology at Merck.
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During the three-year collaboration, EMBL will apply its unique expertise, combining modelling and bioinformatics with experimental approaches to uncover these metabolic pathways and shed light on their control mechanisms. EMBL will also utilise the cutting-edge equipment of its Genomics and Metabolomics Core Facilities to resolve the transcriptional and metabolic profiles of the samples for the study.
“Together with Merck as an experienced partner in the field of oncology research, we are excited about the opportunity to apply our technologies to advance cancer research and pave the way for future drug development upon the discovery of novel targets,” said Kiran Patil, group leader at EMBL.
EMBL is Europe’s flagship laboratory for the life sciences, with more than 80 independent groups covering the spectrum of molecular biology. EMBL is international, innovative and interdisciplinary - its 1600 employees, from many nations, operate across five sites: the main laboratory in Heidelberg, and outstations in Grenoble; Hamburg; Hinxton, near Cambridge (the European Bioinformatics Institute), and Monterotondo, near Rome.
