Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC today announced more than a dozen new collaborations to drive the development of novel solutions to impact healthcare, including projects that address the microbiome to treat sleep disorders and skin health.

"Our highest priority is to improve the health of people around the globe, and each collaboration announced today represents a unique opportunity to explore novel therapeutics, medical devices and consumer health solutions," said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson. "By advancing transformative healthcare innovations together with entrepreneurs, academic centers and institutions, we are one step closer to addressing many pressing global healthcare challenges."

Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. and Janssen Research & Development, LLC have established an exclusive research collaboration with Holobiome Corporation, a developer of microbiome therapeutics, to treat diseases of the central and enteric nervous systems. The collaboration will examine a consortium of bacteria that could be used to create a differentiated probiotic or over-the-counter offering that addresses sleeplessness. In addition to sleep disorders, these bacteria may also be used in the treatment of other potential conditions, according to J&J.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. have formed a collaboration with JLABS @ San Diego resident Dermala Inc. to develop microbiome-derived treatments for skin conditions. Dermala's technology harnesses the beneficial function of good skin bacteria to eliminate the bad bacteria and balance the microbiome. 

In the area of psoriasis, Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Janssen Biotech Inc. have extended a research collaboration with Monash University aimed at further exploring the underlying triggers of psoriasis to discover and develop potential new treatments that prevent future occurrences of the disease.  

"At Johnson & Johnson Innovation, we have a collaborative approach to partnering and tailor each deal to the needs of the company and its technology so we can accelerate the best science to solve today's healthcare challenges," said Robert G. Urban, Ph.D., global head, Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC. "Our approach to external innovation has been incredibly fruitful, as we established more than 60 significant new strategic relationships in 2017."

In addition to these new strategic collaborations, Johnson & Johnson Innovation has expanded its search for innovative healthcare solutions through 22 QuickFire Challenges launched since 2014. More than 1,500 entrepreneurial applicants from around the world have made submissions for the 19 contests that have been completed, representing more than $4 million in awards. These challenges, which have focused on a wide range of topics from artificial intelligence and baby care to drug safety, will continue to expand, with three current QuickFire Challenges in areas such as digital beauty, creating the lab coat of the future and others to launch later in 2018. According to J&J, in addition to the deals announced today, several further strategic transactions occurred in the second half of 2017 that have the potential to enrich the life science ecosystem on a global scale.