UCL and Takeda in new research collaboration
New partnership aims to identify novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases
UCL (University College London) and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company have entered into a new research collaboration to identify and validate novel target genes for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. The collaboration will focus on mechanistic approaches for the identification of genes or signalling pathways that modify neurodegenerative disease processes affecting neuronal health, such as motor neurone disease, Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
The collaboration, which includes support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, will initially run for a three-year period. It will be carried out by Takeda Cambridge, Takeda’s research unit based in Cambridge, UK focused on target identification and drug discovery, with CNS as one of its key focus areas. It is one of the largest university partnerships formed by Takeda in the UK.
´'At Takeda, we work with partners to accelerate innovation. We are looking forward to collaborating with UCL’s world-class researchers,' said Dr Tetsuyuki Maruyama, General Manager of Takeda’s Pharmaceutical Research Division. 'This cooperation will help us to identify and validate novel therapeutic pathways in central nervous system diseases, which is one of Takeda’s core therapeutic areas – ultimately leading to new treatments for patients suffering from neurodegenerative disorders.'
Professor Nicholas Wood, Neuroscience Programme Director at the NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, said:'I am delighted and excited with the potential of this initiative. It combines Takeda’s strengths in central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics with our research at UCL but importantly focuses on projects with huge experimental medicine potential.'
UCL is a world leading university in CNS research with a world class reputation in the field of neurodegeneration and rare neurological disorders. UCL’s Institute of Neurology is a centre of significant investment for dementia research with a highly engaged and interactive faculty.
