Janssen Pharmaceutica presents results of its technical co-operation with the Archaeological Survey of India regarding the maintenance, conservation and preservation of protected monuments.

Chennai – November 9, 2008 – At the occasion of the visit by Albert II, King of The Belgians, to the Mahabalipuram temple in Chennai, Janssen Pharmaceutica presented the results of its three-year technical co-operation with the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).

In March 2005, Janssen Pharmaceutica and the ASI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together in finding solutions for the treatment and prevention of mould, fungal and termite damage to sites of national heritage in India. The two sites specifically earmarked for this project were the Tipu Sultan’s Palace in Srirangapatna and the monuments of the Hampi complex World Heritage Site. The objectives of the 2005 MoU have been successfully met in terms of detecting the organisms responsible for the biodeterioration damage, identifying and testing the products for their eradication and providing training for those involved in the projects. As part of its role in this collaborative project, Janssen Pharmaceutica has also supplied the relevant products to treat the biodeterioration free of charge for three years.

This project is reflective of the high value placed by Janssen Pharmaceutica on scientific collaboration in encouraging innovation and the discovery of new solutions.

Following the success of the collaboration to date, Janssen Pharmaceutica and the ASI have agreed to extend the MoU for an additional two years until the end of 2010. The new MoU will expand the scope of the collaboration to combine a number of disciplines relevant to cultural heritage conservation and will specifically target two sites for the pilot phase: the Vitthala Temple and the Srirangapatna Palace. The MoU is expected to be signed shortly.

The new MoU will also include the active participation of the UNESCO Chair at the Raymond Lemaire International Center for Conservation, Faculty of Engineering, Catholic University of Leuven and from Monumentenwacht Vlaanderen vzw.

For more information:
Stefan Gijssels 014/60 30 30

Background information