Merck-Wellcome Trust JV appoints Dr Goel as CSO
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
MSD Wellcome Trust Hilleman Laboratories, an R&D joint venture between Merck & Co and the Wellcome Trust, has appointed Dr Akshay Goelchief scientific officer. Dr Goel, who was previously director of new vaccines at Serum Institute of India, has been credited with the development of a meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (NeisVac-C) in the UK and a Haemophilus influenzae type B and meningococcal A conjugate (for sub-Saharan Africa) vaccine in India. The joint venture expects to develop affordable vaccines for low-income countries and its laboratories will be based in India. It will operate on a not-for-profit basis, with Merck and the Wellcome Trust planning to invest equally in the venture with a combined cash contribution of £90 million over the next seven years. It aims to support a staff of about 60 researchers and developers.