Genzyme And The Cleveland Clinic Collaborate On MS Research

Genzyme, a subsidiary of Sanofi, has announced that it will be partnering with the Cleveland Clinic for a multiple sclerosis research project. The research project will attempt to help both organizations gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis and progression of MS.

Together, the two organizations will be focusing on progressive forms of the disease. The researchers hope to find ways to treat neurodegeneration, which is the primary symptom of MS. The collaboration will last for a minimum of 5 years, and will be led by a committee made up of members of both organizations.

David Meeker, the President and CEO of Genzyme, said that he believes the research collaboration can bring a better understanding of the disease. “As leaders in MS we want to advance and build a sustainable pipeline of novel therapeutic approaches, and our collaboration with Cleveland Clinic, along with our internal R&D efforts, reinforce Genzyme’s long-term commitment to the MS community,” said Meeker. The Cleveland Clinic is well known in MS research circles for its Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis. The center’s MS program sees more than 20,000 patients a year, and in addition to treating patients, the center has an active research team. Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, Director of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, said that the collaboration will “allow for the development of innovative approaches to evaluate potential new therapies for progressive MS.”

About 400,000 people in the United States have MS. There are about 2.3 million people in the world who have the disease.