A collaboration of scientists has been formed with the aim of discovering new active pharmaceutical ingredients and drugs for the treatment of depression and schizophrenia.



Led by research company H Lundbeck A/S and King's College London, the large research academic-industry collaboration project is called Novel Methods leading to New Medications in Depression and Schizophrenia (Newmeds).



Dr Tine Bryan Stensbol, divisional director for discovery pharmacology research at H Lundbeck A/S and coordinator of the Newmeds consortium, said: "Newmeds embodies a novel collaborative effort where companies join forces and together with academia answer scientific questions in a precompetitive environment that will form the basis of tomorrow's medicines."



Nearly all major global drugs companies are involved in the project, including AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Orion and Pfizer.



Earlier this month, Novartis' Fanapt (iloperidone) tablets, an acute treatment for adult schizophrenia, became available for use across the US.



The antipsychotic was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2009.feeds.directnews.co.uk />