Singapore: Experts from University of Edinburgh, UK, and Massachusetts-based biotechnology company Biogen Idec have joined hands to seek greater insight into multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease and to understand the cell processes behind these debilitating conditions. This will include identifying drug compounds that could potentially be used as treatments.

The three year collaboration will combine the university's expertise in translational medicine, which develops laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients, with Biogen Idec's strength in drug discovery and development.

Clinicians and scientists, based at Edinburgh BioQuarter, which is Scotland's flagship lifesciences project, will be involved in the project and will draw on the university's strength in neuroscience, stem cell research and regeneration.

This landmark partnership is a brilliant example of academic-industrial collaboration in the field of discovery science. Only by better understanding the biological processes behind these devastating diseases can we hope to discover new and effective therapies.

Professor Siddharthan Chandran, chair of neurology, Biogen, said that, "The initiative is being funded by Biogen Idec, which is known for its strength in developing therapies for neurological disorders, particularly its portfolio of treatments for patients with multiple sclerosis. We have embraced academic collaborations as a part of our strategy to maintain a vibrant and innovative research organization and better understand the underlying biology of neurodegenerative disease."

"Our research partnership with the University of Edinburgh is an excellent example of this strategy. We are committed to continuing to improve the treatment of people with MS and motor neurone diseases, and this collaboration is expected to provide an in-depth portrait of their pathophysiology, and identify important new targets for potential therapies," he added.