 announced the signing of a three-year, exclusive integrated drug development agreement with BioPontis Alliance to manage early development of scientificdiscoveries from academia. The agreement provides that Covance will be the exclusive provider to BioPontis Alliance of drug development services, including discovery support, preclinical, bioanalytical, CMC, clinical, central labs, and commercialization. 

Sourcing discovery science through collaborative relationships with research universities and other institutions, BioPontis Alliance identifies and develops early stage discoveries and technologies, providing the medical industry with efficient access to preclinical innovation.  In this unique early development model, Covance will integrate and manage the services required to move a compound from lead optimization into the clinic, providing the scientific and operational continuity that reduces the feasibility gap between academic intellectual property and human proof of concept.

“Designing customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each client is the hallmark of our partnering philosophy,” said John Watson, Chief Commercial Officer and President, Strategic Partnering, Covance. “This collaboration creates a new way for Covance to leverage our scientific expertise and broad portfolio of drug development services to advance the promising science of academia and deliver greater medical innovation to the biopharmaceutical industry.”