Bayer’s first academic medical center alliance for clinical trial collaboration is designed to accelerate medical discovery and expand patient access to investigational therapies

Bayer, a global life sciences company, has announced a new strategic alliance focused on clinical trials collaboration with the University of Colorado Anschutz, UCHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado, establishing Bayer’s first alliance of its kind with an academic medical center. The initiative reflects a shared commitment to accelerating clinical research through stronger collaboration between industry and academic medicine.

The alliance is intended to improve clinical trial efficiency, expand patient access to investigational therapies, and advance new medical discoveries. Initial focus areas for the alliance will include research studies in oncology, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, neurodegenerative disease, cell and gene therapy, women’s health, and ophthalmology.

The alliance is designed to:

• Expand clinical trial infrastructure to execute more studies faster.
• Facilitate earlier and broader patient access to investigational therapies.
• Foster collaboration between industry, academic researchers, clinicians and health systems.

Advancing Clinical Trials Through Collaboration

The alliance will support innovative approaches to clinical trial design and implementation, enhanced patient enrollment, and expanded research operations. By combining Bayer’s drug development expertise with the extensive academic and clinical strengths of the University of Colorado Anschutz (CU Anschutz), UCHealth and Children’s Hospital Colorado (Children’s Colorado), the collaboration aims to expedite clinical research and bring lifesaving experimental therapies to more patients.

“Bayer is committed to bringing first-in-class or best-in-class therapies to market for the people who need them,” said Christoph Koenen, Head, Clinical Development & Operations for Bayer. “Our alliance with this renowned academic medical center brings together several leading organizations to deliver new, innovative ways to advance clinical research for the benefit of patients.”

The alliance will also support clinical trial infrastructure while facilitating scientific collaboration to advance new therapies and medical innovations. Examples include:

• Access to clinical, scientific and operational experts to support trial design, planning and clinical implementation after drug approval.
• Expanded administrative and data science infrastructure to speed up clinical trial launch time.
• Access to clinical data to support trial enrollment, including identifying the patient populations most likely to benefit from treatment.

“We are honored to be selected as Bayer’s first academic medical center partner for clinical trials,” said Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, senior associate dean for clinical research and professor of emergency medicine at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine. “This strategic alliance combines our deep experience in clinical trials, expert patient care, and renowned health system partners with Bayer’s extensive drug development infrastructure to speed the approval time of effective treatments for local, national and global implementation.”

The alliance also supports one of the nation’s leading pediatric research programs, creating new opportunities to bring innovative therapies and clinical trials to a diverse patient population that travels from across the country to Children’s Colorado for specialized care.

“Over the past decade, we have intentionally built the expertise, infrastructure and research capabilities needed to bring innovative investigational therapies and cell therapies to children,” said Jenae Neiman, vice president of research operations for Children’s Colorado. “As a recognized leader in pediatric medicine serving patients from across the region, we have established a mature clinical and research environment that makes us an ideal partner for advancing new treatment options. This alliance will help accelerate access to promising therapies and deliver them to our patients more efficiently.”

Expanding Access to Innovative Therapies

One early example of the alliance’s impact is the selection of UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital as a Phase III clinical trial site for an investigational cellular therapy for advanced Parkinson’s disease. The study will leverage the expertise of CU Anschutz neurologists and neurosurgeons experienced in caring for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease and delivering the one-time cell-based treatment. Additional pediatric trial opportunities are also being explored with physician-scientists at Children’s Colorado.

The effort highlights how industry-academic partnerships can help expedite clinical trials with the goal of expanding patient access to innovative therapies, ultimately improving outcomes for patients with complex conditions without effective solutions today.

“Clinical trials and advanced therapies are the future of medicine, and they also provide patients the very best outcomes and survival rates today,” said Dr. Jean Kutner, UCHealth chief academic officer and distinguished professor, CU Anschutz School of Medicine. “UCHealth’s goal is to offer innovations like this through our academic partners in locations across Colorado.”

The alliance was formally introduced during a recent launch event at CU Anschutz.

“This alliance with Bayer demonstrates what is possible when academic medicine and industry work together in a shared commitment to improving human health,” said Don Elliman, Chancellor of CU Anschutz. “Academic medical campuses like CU Anschutz play a vital role in turning scientific discoveries into next-generation treatments and bringing promising new therapies closer to patients and families. We are proud to partner with Bayer in advancing that work.”

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2025, the Group employed around 88,000 people and had sales of 45.6 billion euros. R&D expenses amounted to 5.8 billion euros.

About the University of Colorado Anschutz

The University of Colorado Anschutz is a world-class academic medical campus leading transformative advances in science, medicine, education and patient care. The campus includes the University of Colorado’s health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked independent hospitals - UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children's Hospital Colorado - which conduct nearly 3 million adult and pediatric patient visits each year. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, CU Anschutz delivers life-changing treatments, exceptional patient care and top-tier professional training. The campus conducts world-renowned research supported by $890 million in funding, including $762 million in sponsored awards and $128 million in philanthropic gifts for research.

About UCHealth

UCHealth is a nationally recognized nonprofit health system that pushes the boundaries of medicine through advanced treatments and clinical trials, improving health through innovation and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. Investing $1.6 billion in community benefits including $762 million in uncompensated and charity care each year, UCHealth is Colorado’s largest Medicaid provider and dedicated to the communities it serves. With the region’s only adult academic medical center, University of Colorado Hospital on the CU Anschutz campus, UCHealth includes 37,000 employees, 15 acute-care hospitals and thousands of physicians across Colorado, Wyoming and western Nebraska.

About Children’s Hospital Colorado

Children’s Hospital Colorado is one of the nation’s leading and most expansive nonprofit pediatric healthcare systems with a mission to improve the health of children through patient care, education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1908 and ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Colorado has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and groundbreaking treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric healthcare worldwide. Children’s Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Colorado, including an academic medical center on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, hospitals in Colorado Springs, Highlands Ranch and Broomfield, and outreach clinics across the region. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org.

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