Jubilant Organosys, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and Southern Research Institute formed a joint venture leveraging their collective technologies in the areas of oncology, metabolic disease and infectious diseases. The goal of the partnership is to select and develop new drugs from promising biological targets discovered by researchers at UAB, Southern Research and Jubilant; use early research data to secure federal funding to create new research jobs; develop drugs through preclinical and or Phase II trials and license the drugs in exchange for milestone payments and royalty streams.

Shyam S. Bhartia, chairman and managing director, and Hari S Bhartia, co-chairman and managing director, Jubilant Organosys, said, “This novel academic and industrial collaboration demonstrates our commitment to partner with globally renowned academia in order to identify and deliver affordable innovation and healthcare solutions to the patients worldwide. We are happy to join hands with UAB and Southern Research Institute, known for its strengths in the areas of oncology, metabolic disease and infectious diseases. The collective capabilities of this partnership further augments our mission to be the most innovative Drug Discovery and Development group in India, accelerating global drug development.”

“UAB has tremendous strength in research that identifies the targets—usually proteins—that contribute to the disease process, whether it is cancer or diabetes, which develop when our bodies malfunction, or a virus or bacterial infection that invades from outside,” said Richard B. Marchase, UAB vice president for research and economic development. “Southern Research and Jubilant have the expertise, scientific workforce, and the equipment to take those findings and move them rapidly through the drug discovery and testing phases that lead to new commercially viable products.”

“Southern Research has proven that it can help move promising drug candidates into the marketplace—our clients’ drugs as well as own discoveries,” said John A. “Jack” Secrist III, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Southern Research Institute. “What we are creating through this joint venture is a powerful new drug discovery engine that will leverage research strengths in Alabama, as well as our collective industry strengths, to drive products to market.”