Teva and the Weizmann Institute of Science enter into collaboration to identify the next generation of innovative antibodies for cancer treatment

_{Pictured right to left: Dr. Hafrun Fridriksdottir, Executive Vice President, Teva R&D; Prof. Daniel Zajfman, President of the Weizmann Institute of Science. (Photo credit: Eyal Tuag)}

Jerusalem, 25 November, 2019 - Teva and Yeda Research and Development Company, the Weizmann Institute of Science’s commercial arm, signed a unique collaboration agreement today that includes financial support and collaborative efforts by Research and Development teams from Teva and the Weizmann Institute of Science, aimed at researching and developing - at a rapid pace – specific innovative antibodies for the treatment of various types of cancer.

This collaboration between Teva and the Weizmann Institute of Science is an important component within a long chain of collaborations with Israeli academia, which will gradually be revealed in the coming months, and comes at the end of an in-depth process conducted by Teva in order to identify and engage in strategic collaborations with leading research teams at Israeli universities. These collaborations may lead to the development of innovative drugs, which can contribute to improving the lives of cancer patients.

The team will be led by Dr. Rony Dahan, a leading researcher in antibody and cancer immunology and immunotherapy studies, who joined the Weizmann Institute of Science two years ago after completing postdoctoral research at Rockefeller University. Dr. Dahan and other leading researchers at Weizmann will work together with research teams at Teva, both in Israel and globally, to incorporate a number of research fields and groups that will focus on advanced immunological research, computational biology and advanced single-cell analysis capabilities – all of which are in line with Teva’s mission to stand at the forefront of the biopharmaceutical field, in addition to generics.

“Teva is committed to improving the lives of patients by providing them with quality advanced pharmaceuticals, including biological drugs. We are currently investing substantial efforts and resources in R&D on a wide range of cancer therapies that can impact the lives and health of millions of patients around the world,” said Dr. Hafrun Fridriksdottir, Teva’s Executive Vice President, Global R&D. “We are looking forward to embarking on this collaborative journey with top researchers at Weizmann and other Israeli academic institutions to develop innovative immunotherapy drugs for the benefit of cancer patients. The decision to enhance collaboration with Israeli academia is due to the outstanding knowledge and innovation that characterize these institutions and its researchers, who are among the most talented worldwide.”

Prof. Daniel Zajfman, President of the Weizmann Institute of Science: "We are happy with Teva's announcement to invest in early stage research with Weizmann institute, under the umbrella of Industry-Academy collaboration. This is very good news to the academy, the researches and the industry in Israel. There’s no doubt that this long-term investment will bear fruits and lead to breakthroughs in science and technology.”

About Teva Academy initiative
Teva’s specialty R&D began expanding in the 1980s as a result of fruitful cooperation with Israeli academia, leading to the development of medicines, which were central to the company's specialty portfolio and which continue to this day to improve the lives of many patients who suffer from debilitating diseases.

Teva, a global company with a presence in 60 markets worldwide, understands the strategic importance of engaging in scientific collaboration with leading academic institutions, and specifically with Israeli academia, and believes that maintaining a close relationship with academic institutions from the earliest stages of research can lead to the development of advanced drugs and innovative technologies that will improve quality of life for patients throughout the world.

Teva’s international academic activity is directed from Israel by a special academic affairs team led by Dr. Dana Bar-On, and is part of the company's R&D division. Through this team, Teva cultivates collaborations with academia, remains an active partner in global consortiums that bring together industry and academia, and supports scientific conferences, student scholarships, doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships at Teva, and joint scientific publications with academic institutions.

For additional information, please contact:

Raz Meirman, Senior Director, Israel Corporate Brand & Communications at Teva
054-888-7722, Raz.meirman@teva.co.il

Yonatan Beker, Senior Director, Global Corporate Communications
+972-54-888-5898, Yonatan.beker@teva.co.il

Gali Dahan, Media & PR Professional, Senior Communications Consultant at Ben Horin & Alexandrovitz
052-393-5529, Gali@ibh.co.il