Firm will partner with US university and cancels plan to sell its share of ViiV Healthcare joint venture

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has reaffirmed its commitment to researching new drugs for HIV–Aids, by partnering with the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill, US.

GSK will contribute $20 million (£13 million) over five years to establish ‘HIV Cure center’ on the UNC campus, housing researchers from both GSK and university groups already working on HIV–Aids. The partnership will be administered by a new, jointly-owned company – Qura Therapeutics – which will also handle any emerging intellectual property and its commercialisation.

The firm has also decided to retain its stake in ViiV Healthcare, its HIV-focused joint venture with Pfizer and Shionogi. GSK had previously indicated it would float its share of the business on the stock exchange, but reversed that decision in its first quarter financial results statement.

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