GSK's CEEDDs: capturing the power of the alternative discovery initiative

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has created a Centre of Excellence for External Drug Discovery (CEEDD), which combines the success of the Alternative Discovery Initiative (ADI) with the r&d concept of the Centres of Excellence for Drug Discovery (CEDDs), one that has proven effective in harnessing talent and focusing energy on drug discovery.

Maxine Gowen has been named senior vice president of the new CEEDD and will be supported by a small internal management team, responsible for delivering compounds with proof of therapeutic concept through partnerships with biotechnology companies, small- and mid-sized pharmaceutical companies, and academic institutions. Like other CEDDs in GSK, the CEEDD will have its own budget and portfolio, but it will rely primarily on external scientific resources.

'I am very pleased that Maxine will lead the CEEDD. Her established scientific and business acumen will be key to the success of the new CEEDD,' said Moncef Slaoui, senior vice president of worldwide business development.

Since its inception, GSK has committed to accessing talent, ideas and assets beyond the walls of its internal r&d by successfully partnering with numerous scientists and organisations in academia and industry. A number of these collaborations exist under the umbrella of the Alternative Discovery Initiative (ADI), which capitalises on the ambition and talent of business partners who can supplement GSK's discovery and development activities.

The CEEDD will leverage r&d's front-end capabilities, which are generating more targets and compounds than the organisation has internal resource to develop, by sharing some of these assets for development by others. In this manner, r&d can have additional opportunities for developing successful medicines. Assets that might otherwise have to wait for development can then be moved forward. In addition, the CEEDD will provide avenues for GSK to learn about and incorporate alternative scientific and drug discovery approaches. The ultimate objective is to exploit the full potential of r&d assets and get more medicines to more patients faster.

Gowen joined the company in 1992 as director, department of bone and cartilage biology, to set up a new discovery research group for osteoporosis. Since that time, she has taken on roles of increasing responsibility, including vice president, musculoskeletal disease drug discovery, and vice president, GSK Ventures. In 2002, Gowen joined SR One, GSK's venture capital business, which invests in companies for return in areas of strategic interest to GSK. In 2003 she was named managing partner and president of SR One where she has overseen the development of SR One's portfolio. Gowen holds a PhD and an MBA. Succeeding Gowen as managing partner and president, SR One, is Adrian Rawcliffe.