DrugBank joins as a supporter of Global Virtual Partnering Event to accelerate partnerships in the life sciences industry to fight COVID-19
PRESS CONTACT
Shay Barker
Operations Manager, DrugBank
shay@drugbank.ca
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2020 - DrugBank is pleased to announce they’ve joined a 3-day global virtual partnering event, organized by Inova, Lyonbiopole and Evaluate Ltd., and backed by a consortium of biotech clusters and leading trade associations in the life sciences industry and represents a practical way to accelerate partnerships to develop and deliver solutions against COVID-19. This initiative is supported by EIT Health, and will be held across the globe from April 20 to May 6, 2020.
Today’s COVID-19 crisis requires a previously unimaginable acceleration of output from the biopharmaceutical and life sciences industry. It raises the question about the ability to find the right partner in developing diagnostics, drug treatments and, ultimately, a COVID-19 vaccine. Beyond R&D – COVID-19 also raises a series of questions about the ability to handle the massive scale-up needed to deliver urgent solutions to protect health workers in the front line of the epidemic and patients alike.
The way forward requires an enormous leadership and collaboration effort within the life sciences industry to leave no stone unturned. #PartneringAgainstCOVID19 is enabling small and big players worldwide to meet and match their skills and efforts against COVID-19.
“DrugBank has seen a 6000% increase in searches related to COVID-19 on our website, and have seen our monthly requests from academic groups requesting to use DrugBank for research skyrocket from 250 per week to more than 500 per week. So, when we were contacted by the group from Evaluate and were immediately interested in participating in and supporting this event. It was really a no-brainer.” explains DrugBank CEO, Michael Wilson.
Participation is free and open to any organization that provides products, knowledge, or technologies that can help in the effort to develop and produce testing, treatment and vaccine solutions to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event itself will facilitate interactions between attendees like would normally occur in a large conference facility or convention centre, but instead, the virtual event will be provided in “a safe, structured and easy-to-use online space for those working on solutions for COVID-19,” say the organizers.
Wilson states that “DrugBank is a tool used by millions of researchers worldwide in their drug discovery and repurposing efforts, so this event was a natural fit for us. This event allows us and others to search and request meetings with potential partners participating, and take those virtual meetings over the course of three days. In the end, these discussions could lead to impactful global partnerships that aid in catalyzing effective treatments for COVID-19.”
You can learn more about the powerful efforts of the organizing team, the supporters, and the participants, or to register for free at www.virtual-partnering.com.