GSK joins with UK &South African Medical Research Councils

GSK recently announced a £5m collaboration with the UK and South African Medical Research Councils, to support much-needed research into non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa, as part of GSK’s Africa NCD Open Lab initiative.



The funding was pledged today by the UK Foreign Office Minister responsible for Africa, James Duddridge, and South Africa’s Minister for Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, at an event in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of a broader collaboration between the two countries on scientific research. It will be used to support researchers from South African institutions conducting research projects in NCDs, aligned with the objectives of GSK’s Africa NCD Open Lab.

£2.5m will be provided by the UK MRC, via the UK Newton Fund a government fund established in 2013 to develop science and innovation partnerships that promote the economic development and welfare of developing countries and approximately £1.5m will come from the South African Medical Research Council. GSK will provide an additional £1m, together with a commitment of internal R&D expertise, to support projects within South Africa.  As the first initiative to receive support from the UK / South Africa Newton Fund, this is significant external endorsement for GSK’s open approach to NCD research in Africa.