Scientists from MedImmune, an offshoot of U.K.-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, have teamed up with researchers from the Wallenberg Center for Protein Research (WCPR) in Sweden to conduct research of the secretome.
The research includes all protein secretions produced by the body's cells, tissues and organs.
Through this study, the teams hope to unlock new methods and targets for disease research.
The two main components of the work will be a complete screening of the secretome library -- which researchers hope will lead to the discovery of new protein-based targets that can be used to develop treatments for a variety of diseases -- and the development of new venues through which therapeutic proteins can be produced.
“We are delighted to partner with AstraZeneca and MedImmune, as it will allow us to translate the scientific findings we have made when determining the map of proteins across the body into meaningful treatments for people with a wide range of diseases," Mathias Uhlén, professor of microbiology and lead author of the first genome-wide map of the human proteome, said.
The partnership was announced during a recent press conference in Stockholm, Sweden.
“We’re tremendously excited to be part of this innovative collaboration as we explore what science can do to advance medical research," Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca's CEO, said. "Harnessing the power of the secretome in this unprecedented way will help us to identify new biomarkers, drug targets and ultimately develop next-generation biological treatments.”
Over $100 million in funding has already been received for the project. Sources include the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, AstraZeneca, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Uppsala University and Chalmers University of Technology.
AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
