Singapore: Allied-Bristol Life Sciences, a jointly owned enterprise between Allied Minds and Bristol-Myers Squibb, has appointed Mr Satish Jindal, formerly Vice President of R&D within Bristol-Myers, to lead the company's efforts to identify and foster development of biopharmaceutical innovations from top US university research institutions.

Mr Jindal recently headed up Bristol-Myers' research and development center in Bangalore, India, that focuses on discovery and early development of drug candidates in several disease areas, including oncology, autoimmune diseases and fibrosis. The center, called Biocon Bristol-Myers Squibb Research & Development Center (BBRC), has about 575 scientists who have the expertise to conduct drug discovery and early stage drug development, and have successfully delivered several clinical candidates, contributing to the Bristol-Myers R&D pipeline.

Under Mr Jindal's leadership, Allied-Bristol Life Sciences will have access to the scientific expertise from Bristol-Myers and BBRC, as well as the discovery and development resources offered at BBRC. Allied-Bristol Life Sciences currently has more than 100 opportunities under consideration.

"We have a unique opportunity to create novel medicines in partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb," said Mr Jindal, who will be based in Boston. "Through this innovator model of Allied-Bristol Life Sciences, we can fill a critical gap that exists in translating highly important scientific discoveries from leading academic research institutions."

Mr Jindal joined Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2011, and was part of the team that collaborated with Allied Minds to create Allied-Bristol Life Sciences earlier this year.

"Satish Jindal has a strong track record of successfully starting and building biotechnology companies based upon scientific discoveries which can lead to new medicines for the future," said Mr Chris Silva, chief executive officer, Allied Minds. "We are pleased to have him apply his vision and experience towards the success of Allied-Bristol Life Sciences."

Allied Minds and Bristol-Myers established Allied-Bristol Life Sciences to work with university researchers to identify discoveries that have promising therapeutic and commercial potential, and to support the research and development needed to take these early-stage opportunities from initial feasibility to pre-clinical candidacy. Once a program succeeds in identifying a pre-clinical candidate, Bristol-Myers will have the option to acquire the company from Allied-Bristol Life Sciences under pre-agreed terms.