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Merck and Fast Forward agree to work together to speed research and development on a select group of high potential MS research projects with support of up to $19 million in funding.
Merck KGaA announced today that its Merck Serono division and Fast Forward, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American National Multiple Sclerosis Society, have entered a collaborative partnership to evaluate and fund promising multiple sclerosis (MS) research projects. Proposals will be jointly developed by Merck Serono and Fast Forward. Merck will provide up to $19 million in funding. The funds will support early stage clinical development projects with biotech companies or projects with individual researchers or academic institutions.
To speed MS research and clinical development the companies have entered into a two year worldwide agreement that may extend for an additional three years.
“Merck Serono and the American National Multiple Sclerosis Society have an unwavering commitment to the support of early stage research in the quest to find new and improved treatment options for MS patients. It is with great excitement that our organization supports this initiative with Fast Forward, which will explore new avenues to advance new MS treatments with the potential to transform people’s lives,” said Fereydoun Firouz, President and CEO of EMD Serono Inc., Merck’s pharmaceutical subsidiary in the USA.
