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Bayer, a global life sciences company, has announced a new strategic alliance focused on clinical trials collaboration with the University of Colorado Anschutz, UCHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado, establishing Bayer’s first alliance of its kind with an academic medical center. The initiative reflects a shared commitment to accelerating clinical research through stronger collaboration between industry and academic medicine.
The alliance is intended to improve clinical trial efficiency, expand patient access to investigational therapies and advance new medical discoveries. Initial focus areas for the alliance will include research studies in oncology, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, neurodegenerative disease, cell and gene therapy, women’s health and ophthalmology.
The alliance is designed to:
- Expand clinical trial infrastructure to execute more studies faster.
- Facilitate earlier and broader patient access to investigational therapies.
- Foster collaboration between industry, academic researchers, clinicians and health systems.
Advancing Clinical Trials Through Collaboration
The alliance will support innovative approaches to clinical trial design and implementation, enhanced patient enrollment and expanded research operations. By combining Bayer’s drug development expertise with the extensive academic and clinical strengths of the University of Colorado Anschutz (CU Anschutz), UCHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado (Children’s Colorado), the collaboration aims to expedite clinical research and bring lifesaving experimental therapies to more patients.
“Bayer is committed to bringing first-in-class or best-in-class therapies to market for the people who need them,” said Christoph Koenen, head of clinical development & operations for Bayer. “Our alliance with this renowned academic medical center brings together several leading organizations to deliver new, innovative ways to advance clinical research for the benefit of patients.”
The alliance will also support clinical trial infrastructure while facilitating scientific collaboration to advance new therapies and medical innovations. Examples include:
- Access to clinical, scientific and operational experts to support trial design, planning and clinical implementation after drug approval.
- Expanded administrative and data science infrastructure to speed up clinical trial launch time.
- Access to clinical data to support trial enrollment, including identifying the patient populations most likely to benefit from treatment.
“We are honored to be selected as Bayer’s first academic medical center partner for clinical trials,” said Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, senior associate dean for clinical research and professor of emergency medicine at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine. “This strategic alliance combines our deep experience in clinical trials, expert patient care, and renowned health system partners with Bayer’s extensive drug development infrastructure to speed the approval time of effective treatments for local, national and global implementation.”
The alliance also supports one of the nation’s leading pediatric research programs, creating new opportunities to bring innovative therapies and clinical trials to a diverse patient population that travels from across the country to Children’s Colorado for specialized care.
“Over the past decade, we have intentionally built the expertise, infrastructure and research capabilities needed to bring innovative investigational therapies and cell therapies to children,” said Jenae Neiman, vice president of research operations for Children’s Colorado. “As a recognized leader in pediatric medicine serving patients from across the region, we have established a mature clinical and research environment that makes us an ideal partner for advancing new treatment options. This alliance will help accelerate access to promising therapies and deliver them to our patients more efficiently.”
Expanding Access to Innovative Therapies
One early example of the alliance’s impact is the selection of UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital as a Phase III clinical trial site for an investigational cellular therapy for advanced Parkinson’s disease. The study will leverage the expertise of CU Anschutz neurologists and neurosurgeons experienced in caring for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease and delivering the one-time cell-based treatment. Additional pediatric trial opportunities are also being explored with physician-scientists at Children’s Colorado.
The effort highlights how industry-academic partnerships can help expedite clinical trials with the goal of expanding patient access to innovative therapies, ultimately improving outcomes for patients with complex conditions without effective solutions today.
“Clinical trials and advanced therapies are the future of medicine, and they also provide patients the very best outcomes and survival rates today,” said Jean Kutner, MD, UCHealth chief academic officer and distinguished professor, CU Anschutz School of Medicine. “UCHealth’s goal is to offer innovations like this through our academic partners in locations across Colorado.”
The alliance was formally introduced during a recent launch event at CU Anschutz.
“This alliance with Bayer demonstrates what is possible when academic medicine and industry work together in a shared commitment to improving human health,” said Don Elliman, chancellor of CU Anschutz. “Academic medical campuses like CU Anschutz play a vital role in turning scientific discoveries into next-generation treatments and bringing promising new therapies closer to patients and families. We are proud to partner with Bayer in advancing that work.”
Photo at top: Executives from Bayer joined CU Anschutz leaders, including Kim Muller (second from left) and Dr. Adit Ginde (third from left), to celebrate a newly formed clinical trials alliance.
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