Drug company invests in West Campus technology core

The Small Molecule Discovery Center on West Campus.

Yale has signed a collaboration agreement with the Johnson & Johnson Corporate Office of Science & Technology (COSAT) to jointly fund activities at the Small Molecule Discovery Center (YSMDC) on Yale’s West Campus.

This pilot program is designed to stimulate discussion at the earliest stages of drug discovery.

"This sponsorship of the YSMDC comes at a time when academic and pharmaceutical scientists are increasingly looking to collaborate in order to help fill the pharmaceutical pipeline with the medicines of tomorrow," said Thomas E. Shrader, director of strategic corporate partnerships in Yale’s Office of Cooperative Research.

Shrader said Yale scientists have a long history in participating in the development of important therapeutics. These include Zerit, an early AIDS medication; Intuniv, an important new therapeutic for ADHD currently marketed by Shire PLC; and Carfilzomib, a late-stage multiple myeloma drug candidate being developed by Onyx Pharmaceuticals.The Small Molecule Discovery Center helps validate potential biological targets for new drugs and molecules that may interact with those targets.

"This collaboration will allow Yale scientist to focus on the parts of this pathway that we do best -- identifying novel disease targets, while getting COSAT’s expertise in the areas where Yale, and most universities, have limited experience," said Michael Kinch, the new director of the YSMDC.