LSTM and LifeArc announce partnership and research fund to tackle infectious diseases

10 Aug 2023
www.pmlive.com
LSTM and LifeArc announce partnership and research fund to tackle infectious diseases
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Source: PMLiVE
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has partnered with medical research organisation and charity LifeArc, which will join the LSTM-led Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON) and establish a £2.7m ‘Translational Development Fund’.
The research responds to a growing need for new treatments and diagnostic technologies to help combat global emerging threats, including neglected tropical diseases and emerging viral threats.
“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the impact new viruses can have on our society and this new fund will support the progression of potential interventions,” LSTM said.
"This partnership between LSTM, LifeArc and iiCON will provide a number of significant opportunities for businesses, researchers and clinicians working in the antibody humanisation space and beyond," said Professor David Lalloo, director of LSTM.
Every year, infectious diseases cause millions of deaths worldwide, and due to factors including climate change, migration and intensive farming, the impact is set to progressively worsen.
The £2.7m fund from LifeArc will support the progression of potential interventions, including diagnostics, treatments and devices, that are appropriately aligned with the deployment and treatment of patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
It will be available to LSTM and iiCON partners, as well as their collaborators, including research organisations in LMICs.
Under the terms of the agreement, LifeArc will also make its antibody humanisation platform and expertise, as well as the funding, available to iiCON and its collaborators to support the development of new potential treatments.
As well as LifeArc, core partners of iiCON, a £250m programme, include Unilever, Evotec, Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust, the University of Liverpool and Infex Therapeutics.
The organisation’s platform enables promising antibodies from lab research to be modified for human use. LifeArc has humanised over 90 antibodies and contributed to five licenced medicines in the past 30 years.
Professor Janet Hemingway, founding director of iiCON, describes the research partnership as an "exciting milestone" for iiCON and medical therapy development and looks forward to "seeing the vital breakthroughs that this collaboration will progress".
Dr Mike Strange, head of global health at LifeArc, said that LSTM’s consortium "aligns" with the charity’s own global health strategy.
He added: "We are pleased that we will also be able offer this platform and expertise to iiCON partners."
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