Luxembourg Partners with U.S. Firms for $200M Molecular Med Investment

On June 5, 2008, the government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg announced plans for a $200 million five-year molecular medicine initiative that draws on a strategic partnership involving three Luxembourg Public Research Centers (CRPs), the University of Luxembourg and three U.S. research institutes prominent in the field.
 
The U.S. research institutions include:

• Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix, led by Dr. Jeffrey Trent;
• Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) in Seattle, led by Dr. Leroy Hood; and,
• Partnership for Personalized Medicine (PPM) led by Dr. Leland Hartwell, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, and president of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center also in Seattle.

Three interrelated projects are involved in the plans: a biobank, a center for systems biology and Project Lung Cancer.
 
The next-generation model for biobanks will increase opportunities for scientific and technological collaboration across disciplines such as biology, pathology, informatics and information technology infrastructure, laboratory operations, transportation, legal matters and ethics.
 
According to TGen, the Integrated BioBank of Luzembourg will implement uniform standards for collection, storage and redistribution of an anticipated full range of tissue samples (e.g., blood, serum and tumor tissue) like existing biobanks. The new effort will advance the industry by adding detailed, molecular-based characterization of biospecimens, which over time (and ultimately linked to detailed clinical information) will lead to amassing an extensive database of medically relevant information.
 
The biobank will be established by the University of Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Public CRPS, Santé, Henri Tudor and Gabriel Lippmann and will facilitate international research projects, advance translational research, and serve as a catalyst to transform research findings into tools for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, according to a university press release.
 
The second project calls for creation of the Center for Systems Biology Luxembourg by the university and ISB. Two research initiatives will be the initial primary focus of the center: genome sequencing, particularly the study of genetic systems, and molecular fingerprinting. The university reports the project also contains a major technological component focused on the development and integration of tools used in genomics (the study of genomes), proteomics (the study of proteins) and bioinformatics (the application of computer techniques to biology).
 
Project Lung Cancer, the third component of the nation’s $200 million investment, will focus specifically on lung cancer for which there are no reliable tools for early detection and for patients with advanced disease with virtually no known cures. The project, which partners with PPM and CRO-Santé, also will seek to demonstrate that earlier detection and intervention can reduce healthcare costs.
 
In addition, the Société Nationale de Crédit et d’Investissement has set up a limited "health technologies facility" to help co-finance for-profit ventures in this area.
 
More information is available at: http://www.uni.lu/actualites/a_la_une__1/a_luxembourg_biobank and http://www.tgen.org/news/index.cfm?pageid=57&newsid=1167