GlaxoSmithKline Problem Said to Be Fixed

Back in May, we blogged about a cautionary note from UCLA indicating that a grant competition from GlaxoSmithKline appeared to circumvent university procedures.

Now an email has gone out to faculty indicating that the problem has been fixed:

I am pleased to report we resolved the barriers to faculty participation in the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Discovery Fast Track Competition. We encourage faculty who are developing novel drug targets and drug screening assays to consider applying for this program.

When the competition initially launched, we found that the terms and conditions to be at odds with UC policies and faculty interests. We took a definitive stand and notified faculty – a position that was supported by many peer institutions.

With the support of the Office of the President, we have since resolved the key concerns with GSK. Faculty may submit proposals for developing and conducting screens of GSK’s internal compound collections and thereby advance the development of novel drug targets, pathways and assays. This may lead to further collaborations and/or sponsored research with GSK, thereby helping UCLA move discoveries forward to the clinic for the benefit of patients.

The competition closes on Friday, July 19, 2013. The Office of Intellectual Property & Industry Sponsored Research will work closely with you to determine whether your submission may be appropriate for the program. Given the short and strict timeframe, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible so that we can complete the necessary steps before your proposal can officially be considered.

For more on this program, please see the link below and we look forward to working with you on potential proposal submissions.

http://openinnovation.gsk.com/index.php

Sincerely,

Brendan J. Rauw
Associate Vice Chancellor for Research
Executive Director of Entrepreneurship