A unique example of open source collaboration has been struck between Pfizer and Washington University in St. Louis. New York-based Pfizer agreed, in May, to provide university researchers with information on more than 500 drug candidates to give them the opportunity to identify new uses for these compounds.

The agreement entitles Washington University to $22.5 million over five years and access to proprietary data, which are not normally released to university groups. “By allowing others to consider the additional use of our compounds, we hope to identify new opportunities for truly unmet medical needs,” says Don Frail, chief scientific officer of Pfizer's indications discovery unit.

The advantage for the academic researchers is that Pfizer's compounds have been extensively studied and their mechanisms are well understood, shaving off time needed for evaluation. In the new collaboration, when the researchers find a promising new application for a compound, they can propose a research project to Pfizer. The university will have the opportunity to negotiate the commercialization terms for its discoveries.