29 May 2013 – Milan, Italy. Zebra Ventures and FFC, the Italian Foundation for the Cystic Fibrosis Research, have signed an agreement to jointly promote results obtained by  FFC-funded research projects to facilitate the advancement of new therapeutic approaches through collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

FFC’s mission is to foster the development of new drugs and treatments for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients through funding of biomedical research within academia and research institutions.  A new grant application cycle is currently open in order to screen and identify the most promising research projects that will receive funding by the FFC in June of 2013.

The drug development process requires expertise and financial resources seldom available to academic groups and not-for-profit entities: innovative projects originated in academic lab  are transferred to pharmaceutical companies to complete development activities and registration requirements, allowing patients to access new and more effective drugs.

The Zebra Ventures team has selected, among currently funded projects, those with the highest potential to become novel therapeutic products.  The selected projects will be presented to companies active internationally in the area of Cystic Fibrosis and other genetic disorders.  Sixteen projects have been shortlisted and include new antibiotic leads, molecular modulators of dysfunctional proteins due to genetic mutation and anti-inflammatory agents.

For additional information or technical brochure please contact Zebra Ventures
mzecevic@twozebras.com or ccecchi@twozebras.com

 

Zebra Ventures (www.twozebras.com) is a consultancy firm based in Milano, Italy, that provides services in the area of intellectual property management, technology transfer and business development in the area of life sciences.  Zebra Ventures’ clients include research institutions, not-for-profit entities, start-up enterprises , biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

Italian Foundation for the Research on Cystic Fibrosis (www.fibrosicisticaricerca.it) ,FFC, is a not-for-profit association founded in 1997 whose mission is to promote and fund innovative research projects in Cystic Fibrosis