AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune, have entered into a collaboration with the University of Michigan and Eli Lilly to identify new therapeutic targets for the treatment of chronic kidney diseases (CKD).
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 200 million people worldwide and more than 30 million adults in the U.S. Although it can occur at any age, it becomes more common in aging populations and the prevalence is increasing. Currently, no curative treatment or ability to stop kidney deterioration in patients with CKD exists with the exception of kidney transplantation.
The RPC2 consortium (renal precompetitive consortium) will combine extensive clinical and molecular data collected by Professor Matthias Kretzler at the University of Michigan with the R&D expertise of the pharmaceutical industry.
Professor Kretzler has established a renal database containing information from more than 1,000 patients, as well as from multiple animal models of CKD to advance research into the condition. The consortium will access the database to explore key pathways that drive the progression of CKD and identify potential new targets for medicines.
Each member will contribute with its bioinformatic and scientific capabilities to the consortium to build on the analyses already begun by the University of Michigan. Members retain the right to explore targets of interest independently.
