GSK announces partnership

Graduate recruiter GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that it will be collaborating with a technology company to develop compounds through the latter's esterase-sensitive motif (ESM) systems.

Shelagh Wilson, Vice-President and Head of the European Center of Excellence for External Drug Discovery at the pharmaceutical giant, said the alliance with Chroma Thereputics shows the organisation's desire to continue using the best technology available.

She said: 'We believe Chroma's ESM platform has tremendous potential and look forward to working with Chroma to accelerate the discovery and development of innovative new medicines for patients.'

Four development programmes will be conducted by the biotechnology firm, which could see it receive more than $1bn (£0.6 billion) in milestone and option payments from GSK.

The aim of the initiative is to identify 'small molecule therapeutics' to help disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.

GSK provides a number of graduate opportunities for university leavers, including a three-year rotational scheme offering courses in engineering, purchasing, science, IT and sales and marketing.