Gary Owens, Director of UVa's Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center and UVa Principal Investigator of the AstraZeneca-UVa Alliance said: "We are very pleased to join AstraZeneca in advancing the science of cardiovascular research. Our partnership has the potential to greatly speed up the development of novel drugs to treat diseases in several targeted areas, taking these projects years ahead in some cases."

Thomas Skalak, UVa's Vice President for Research said: "The University of Virginia has a commitment to engage in explorations at the frontiers of medicine, and AstraZeneca's choice of UVa as a global partner indicates the strength of our cardiovascular research and innovation capabilities.

"We found a happy convergence of leadership styles between AstraZeneca and UVa in our shared philosophy of risk-taking, outcomes focus, and collaboration-based research."

The agreement supports a multi-year relationship aimed at making efficient use of the best scientific expertise from both the University of Virginia and AstraZeneca to find optimal treatments for patients with CAD and PAD as quickly as possible.