Teva and Tel Aviv University sign a collaboration agreement for innovative R&D in the fields of cancer and brain studies

Tel Aviv, 25 November, 2019 – Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Tel Aviv University are expanding their scientific collaboration. In a ceremony that took place on November 20th at the Offices of the President of Tel Aviv University, Prof. Ariel Porat and in the presence of senior Teva Research & Development executives from Israel and overseas, led by Dr. Steffen Nock, head of Teva’s Innovative Research team, details of the collaboration between the parties were revealed.

As part of their collaboration, leading Teva and Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers work on advancing innovative R&D research in the fields of cancer and brain studies. These teams from Teva and TAU conduct collaborative research to test the efficacy of immunotherapy in unique models, by incorporating advanced analyses of the immune system. In addition, they explore ways to improve antibody production by utilizing advanced bioinformatics tools, and promote projects aimed at finding new mechanisms to understand nervous system disorders.

Additionally, the Israel Innovation Authority recently approved two grants for TAU researchers to collaborate with Teva, and is in the process of examining other similar collaborations, as well.

These agreements, which are managed through RAMOT, TAU’s Business Engagement Center, constitute a significant stepping stone in the collaborative program Teva has initiated and is promoting with academia, and will be further revealed in the coming months. Over the past year, Teva has engaged in an extensive search to locate over 400 laboratories at Israeli academic institutions, and has initiated strategic collaborations with leading research groups at Israeli universities. These joint ventures will create substantial added value for both academia and for Teva.

“Our partnership with Tel Aviv University is a great example of Teva's new collaborative initiatives with leading researchers from Israel’s top academic institutions, which are being carried out from the earliest stages of research,” said Dr. Steffen Nock. “We hope that this merging of minds between academia and pharma will help facilitate the discovery of innovative drugs and technologies, which are so necessary to improve the quality of life of people suffering from cancer or nervous system disorders. Teva is planning to carry out many more cutting-edge collaborations with researchers from leading universities and medical centres in Israel in the fields of oncology, immunology and brain studies - areas in which Israel has unique research capabilities.”

Prof. Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University, said that "TAU has a strategic goal to strengthen its cooperation with the Israeli society as whole, and with the technological industry in particular. As part of it, we are conducting many collaborations between the university and leading companies in Israel and all over the world, in both hi-tech and biotech. Teva, as well as other leading companies, understands that our researchers are among the best in the world in those fields, which is why the connections with them are so important. On our side, we embrace these connections and are convinced that they will be beneficial not only to TAU and its researchers, but also to society in Israel and around the globe."

About Teva Academy initiative
Teva’s specialty R&D began expanding in the 1980s as a result of fruitful cooperation with Israeli academia, leading to the development of medicines, which were central to the company's specialty portfolio and which continue to this day to improve the lives of many patients who suffer from debilitating diseases.

Teva, a global company with a presence in 60 markets worldwide, understands the strategic importance of engaging in scientific collaboration with leading academic institutions, and specifically with Israeli academia, and believes that maintaining a close relationship with academic institutions from the earliest stages of research can lead to the development of advanced drugs and innovative technologies that will improve quality of life for patients throughout the world.

Teva’s international academic activity is directed from Israel by a special academic affairs team led by Dr. Dana Bar-On, and is part of the company's R&D division. Through this team, Teva cultivates collaborations with academia, remains an active partner in global consortiums that bring together industry and academia, and supports scientific conferences, student scholarships, doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships at Teva, and joint scientific publications with academic institutions.

For additional information, contact:

Raz Meirman, Senior Director, Israel Corporate Brand & Communications at Teva
054-888-7722, Raz.meirman@teva.co.il

Yonatan Beker, Senior Director, Global Corporate Communications
+972-54-888-5898, Yonatan.beker@teva.co.il 

Orna Cohen, Head of spokesperson unit, Tel Aviv University
054-7888437, ornac@tauex.tau.ac.il

Gali Dahan, Senior Communications Consultant at Ben Horin & Alexandrovitz
052-393-5529, Gali@ibh.co.il