Ovid Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:OVID) has announced a strategic research partnership with the Columbia University Irving Medical Centre researchers. The collaboration is meant for the advancement of genetic-based therapies for various rare neurological diseases complementary to the company’s current pipeline.
Ovid partners with Columbia University on genetic research and development
The partnership will provide Ovid Therapeutics with an opportunity to enhance its future drug development programs and thus help individuals suffering from rare genetic neurological diseases. Under this strategic collaboration, Columbia University will line up its knowledge in rare neurological disease genetics as well as understanding with the company’s clinical development, discovery, and translational expertise. The focus will be rare epilepsies and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Ovid is expected to work closely with then Columbia University Irving Medical Centre’s Chief of Clinical Genetics Wendy Chung. Dr. Chung is an experienced leader in genetics, having accumulated more than 20 years of genetic research. She has been researching human genes mapping and cloning, complex and monogenic traits, as well as a description of natural history and clinical characteristics of genetic conditions.
According to the terms of the alliance, the company will work with the university’s scientists to identify molecular targets for the development of molecular/genetic therapies. The therapeutic approaches they will develop will be for rare neurological genetic diseases like KIF1A-associated neurological disorder, among others.
Collaboration to help Ovid advance its clinical development programs
The company’s Chief Medical officer and President, Amit Rakhit, said that the company has made considerable progress in its late-stage clinical development programs. He added that the company is delighted to see several readouts of clinical data. Amit added that the focus is on building the company’s pipeline for its long term future in a strategic and disciplined manner. The president said that the alliance was a big step that will complement the company’s current programs.
The chief medical officer said that the collaboration with Columbia University and Dr. Chung will help the company develop a robust molecular and gene therapy for the treatment of genetic neurological conditions.
