GlaxoSmithKline's $10 Million Grant:
Supporting Academic Research

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the School of Medicine announced on March 6 that GSK has provided Penn with an unrestricted grant of $10 million to support academic research.

"We at GSK are fortunate that the Delaware Valley, home to so many of our Research and Development staff, is also home to such a leading academic research center as the University of Pennsylvania," said Dr. Tachi Yamada, chairman, Research and Development, GSK. "We are hopeful that this grant will further the important research being done at Penn and facilitate scientific interchange between its scientists and our own. GSK and Penn are working towards a shared goal--increasing our understanding of human disease and finding new treatments for the patients who need them."

"We are delighted to receive this grant and look forward to exploring mutual scientific interests of Penn and GSK," said Dr. Arthur H. Rubenstein, EVP of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and Dean of the School of Medicine. "This generous grant will permit our researchers to continue to aggressively pursue the translational nature of our work--which seeks to transform knowledge gained at the benchside into safe and effective therapies and treatments that improve patient care."

GSK is one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. The 18,000 people working in their global R&D organization discover, develop, register, and support the commercialization of prescription medicines and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of human disease. In 2002 GSK invested $4 billion in research and development at more than 20 sites worldwide. GSK has R&D facilities in Philadelphia, Upper Merion, and Upper Providence, which employ 3,500 staff. GSK is a major funder of academic research in the U.S., with 378 active collaborations between U.S. universities and GSK researchers.