CUHK and global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca Global R&D China Co., Ltd. have inked a landmark five-year strategic alliance, which is set to accelerate the journey of cutting-edge medical research from the laboratory to the patient’s bedside, promising faster access to life-changing treatments.

The agreement, signed on 16 April, was witnessed by CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Dennis Lo Yuk-ming (fourth from left, back), Senior Vice President and Head of R&D China of AstraZeneca Dr He Jing (fourth from right, back) andsenior leaders from both organisations.

The collaboration will focus on a spectrum of areas of common interest, including human disease mechanisms, data sciences for multi-omics research, biomarker discovery, translational medicine, clinical trial support, scientific exchange and the nurturing of talent.

“This partnership is not merely an agreement, but a commitment to breaking barriers and forging pathways to a brighter future,” said Professor Lo. “Our objective is clear: to facilitate scientific communication between academia and industry, accelerating the transformation of groundbreaking research into clinical practice that improves and saves lives. Together, we will push the boundaries of innovation and bring life-changing solutions to those who need them most.”

Dr Jing He expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration: “Building upon the foundation of our Global R&D China Hong Kong Centre established in 2023, we are proud to enter into a strategic memorandum of understanding with CUHK, a distinguished institution lauded for its top-notch research teams in medicine and life sciences,

“Through this collaboration, we are committed to enriching foundational scientific research, advancing translational medicine, enhancing clinical research, and expanding big data applications across various therapy areas. We are eager to see how our combined efforts will drive progress in global pharmaceutical research and meet patients’ needs.”