Boffins from Bradford University are in China this week building on their expanding links with the country to jointly host events aimed at stimulating new commercially viable drug treatments for diseases, including cancer.

They are running the latest in a series of innovation workshops, in partnership with pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, in Guangzhou, China, all this week.

The workshop is bringing together Chinese companies and academic scientists and leading European researchers and entrepreneurs looking at ways of creating ‘drug delivery’ solutions to ensure that medicines perform better in patients suffering from cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and cancer. The event will allow participants time to explore ideas, visit development and production facilities and define new collaborative projects aimed at boosting patients’ health.

Twelve European entrepreneurial scientists from industry and academia are meeting 12 Chinese scientists to generate ideas for new technologies, products and start-up companies which will be funded by the provincial government in Guangzhou.

Paul Thorning (pictured), director of open innovation at Bradford University, said: “We believe this is an unparalleled opportunity to create meaningful links and generate value through innovation with China.

“The experts chosen will work together through a carefully facilitated process, with full translation support, to define potential projects which can be expected to deliver some form of financial return within three to four years.

“Considerable follow-on funding support is available in China for successful projects.”

Bradford University has been running a collaborative research and technology development programme across China for the past seven years. To date, the Bradford team has formal links with more than 50 Chinese institutions and has secured more than £15 million of collaborative funding in China and in the UK.

Mr Thorning said the open innovation programme between the university and China was seen as a model of excellence in international collaboration in technology development and transfer.

Six previous workshops have led to 22 funded projects with others in the pipeline.

Marcel de Matas, a principal scientist with AstraZeneca, said: “Our focus is on developing new medicines that make a meaningful difference to patients’ lives.

“With a philosophy of innovation and collaboration we can achieve better health for all. To succeed now and in the future we know that we will have to continue investing and actively seek strategic partnerships outside our own laboratories.”

The global business is looking to develop its scientific network in China and launch new projects which may present opportunities for future scientific collaboration to develop new medicines.