The Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) has selected three public-private consortia to receive €100 million ($142.9 million) to advance the efficiency of pharmaceutical research. The Max Planck Drug Discovery & Development Center will commercialize research from the Max Planck Institutes and other research institutes. The Neuroallianz consortium consists of 12 partners, including Schwarz Pharma, and will develop products for neurodegenerative disease. The Neu2 consortium, whose participants include the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Evotec and Merck KgaA, will develop drugs for multiple sclerosis. Each consortium will receive €20 million initially, and after three years, results will be reviewed and the remaining €40 million will be distributed. Source: BMBF