AbbVie and Scripps Research announce collaboration to develop antiviral treatments for COVID-19

LA JOLLA, CA—AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and Scripps Research, an independent, non-profit biomedical research and drug discovery institute, today announced a global collaboration to develop potential novel, direct-acting antiviral treatments for COVID-19.

“Constant change is something we’ve experienced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with the emergence of many new variants and the evolving needs of treatment options to combat more contagious, aggressive and severe strains of the virus,” said Tom Hudson, MD, senior vice president, R&D, chief scientific officer, AbbVie. “We are committed to bringing differentiated, next generation oral antiviral treatments to patients and ensuring broad access to address the diverse treatment needs around the world.”

The initial SARS-CoV-2 research program at Calibr, the drug discovery and development division of Scripps Research, was supported by funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The COVID-19 research platform that enabled this work was also supported in part by the Scripps Family Impact Fund, the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, and internal support from Calibr.

“We believe our SARS-CoV-2 research program has the potential to impact significantly the ongoing gaps in patient needs to move from pandemic to endemic COVID-19,” said Peter Schultz, PhD, president and chief executive officer, Scripps Research. “We are excited to partner with AbbVie who brings both the scientific expertise and the manufacturing capabilities to accelerate the development of this program.”

Closing of the transaction remains subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals.

About Scripps Research

Scripps Research is an independent, nonprofit research institute ranked the #1 stand-alone biomedical research institute in the US. Our drug discovery and development division, Calibr, works hand-in-hand with scientists across disciplines to accelerate the delivery of innovative, new medicines to patients for a host of diseases. Scripps Research also trains the next generation of scientists at our Skaggs Graduate School, consistently named among the top 10 US programs for chemistry and biological sciences.

About AbbVie

AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio.