March 26, 1999

Partners establishes research partnership with biotech company

Partners HealthCare announced March 23 the establishment of a five-year research partnership with Cambridge-based Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The alliance combines Partners' medical and research expertise with Millennium's genomics-based drug discovery and development expertise and its integrated science and technology platform.

The goal of the alliance is to improve patient care through the development of new products and techniques for earlier diagnosis and better treatment of major diseases. The two organizations will work together to create a series of long-term, collaborative research programs targeted to disease areas in which combined interest and resources could lead to rapid scientific advancement. In addition, the collaboration will provide Millennium with the ability to test drug candidates and new diagnostic procedures clinically.

"Improving the fundamental understanding of disease and using that knowledge to improve patient care is at the core of Partners' research mission," said Samuel O. Thier, MD, president and chief executive officer of Partners. "This partnership with Millennium should enable us to build on our strong record of research that translates into new diagnoses and treatments."

Under the terms of the agreement, a comprehensive research plan will be established annually by a joint steering committee, comprised of leading researchers throughout Partners and members of Millennium's scientific management team.

"The combination of the clinical investigators at the MGH and BWH along with the technologies of Millennium should provide several exceptional opportunities for research and development of new treatments as well as enabling our researchers to receive additional support from new NIH grants," said William Crowley, MD, director of Clinical Research at the MGH.