LifeArc

The first patient has been recruited to the FARGO clinical trial – testing a new treatment to improve quality of life for patients living with a rare liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The hope is that the new treatment could slow or even reverse the progression of PSC: https://t.ly/xsFcO LifeArc is co-funding the trial with PSC Support, which is being run by the University of Birmingham at the Birmingham Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit. The FARGO trial will investigate the potential of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to correct gut microbiome imbalances in PSC patients. If successful this could be a huge breakthrough, as currently there are no treatments for PSC. "I strongly believe there will be some good data coming out of this trial to benefit everyone in the PSC community" says Rick Dallaway, the first patient to take part after being diagnosed with PSC and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in 2016.

Did you know that bronchiectasis (BE) research has unrealised commercial and research potential? With no licensed treatments and rising cases globally, there is a big gap in the market for new BE drugs and investing in BE R&D could yield substantial financial returns. Experts in chronic lung disease, infection, and inflammation - especially those experienced in cystic fibrosis research - can make a significant impact. The similar underlying mechanisms between BE and other lung diseases allow for the repurposing of existing products, streamlining development processes, reducing costs, and improving treatment effectiveness. There's also a pressing need for quicker, more affordable, and accurate diagnostic tools to reduce reliance on costly CT scans. Improved diagnostics can speed up patient access to treatment, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes. We are dedicated to BE as part of our Chronic Respiratory Infection Translational Challenge. We're always looking for new projects to collaborate on, especially in repurposing or diagnostics. If you have a promising project and need support progressing it, we want to hear from you! Find out more about our work in BE: https://t.ly/YeIsK

A smartphone app that helps fight tropical diseases? As part of our Translational Challenge for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), we're funding an exciting project led by Drugs & Diagnostics for Tropical Diseases who have developed rapid, easy-to-use tests for two NTDs - lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis – conditions that collectively affect over 150 million people worldwide. The project is in collaboration with mobile technology company, Novarum, who are developing a new app which turns a smartphone into a diagnostic lateral flow test reader – using the built-in camera! Find out more: https://t.ly/Vd7_K Dr Mike Strange, Head of Global Health at LifeArc said: "A big part of our global health strategy is affordable and accessible solutions to health challenges, and the potential impact that smartphone apps could have on testing and treatment for neglected tropical diseases is significant. These diseases affect millions of people in some of the world's poorest communities. They feed into a cycle of poverty when people become too ill to work or attend school. By investing in new diagnostic tests and data storage, we can ensure more people get access to the treatments they need more quickly, breaking the cycle, and improving overall quality of life."

Living with bronchiectasis (BE), a chronic lung condition, can require a massive shift to daily life. This is the experience of Charlotte whose son Felix was diagnosed with BE after unexpectedly being rushed to hospital with pneumonia. Felix bravely fought for his life for 37 days before a CT scan finally revealed his condition. Unfortunately, as it is poorly understood and has overlapping symptoms with other lung conditions, BE often goes undiagnosed and sometimes is only identified once patients are critically ill - like in Felix's case. With no effective treatments available, Felix is left with no option but to manage his condition daily by clearing his airways of mucus. This critical task prevents mucus build-up, which could lead to life-threatening infections and lung damage. He also takes antibiotics, but no drugs can yet reverse the effects. The emotional toll on families like Charlotte's is immense. We need to raise awareness of the impact of bronchiectasis and increase our research efforts into drugs that can improve, and ideally cure, this condition. We are currently working in collaboration to progress new discoveries in this space. Find out more: https://t.ly/V6w5i

PCD Research is hosting a brilliant event, Getting Cilia Moving, at The Francis Crick Institute on 1 October. This industry accelerator day aims to support the development of new treatments for primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). If you work in cystic fibrosis, rare diseases, or ATMPs, grab a ticket now to secure your spot!

We're pleased to see the launch of the NTM Network UK Standards of Care for people living with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) diseases. These defined Standards contain measurable indicators of good practice that allow healthcare services to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Their implementation should ultimately have a significant positive impact on the quality of care and health outcomes for patients – including those living with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis, both of which are at greater risk of acquiring NTM infections.

Steven Tait, Senior Business Manager at LifeArc, gives the low down on bronchiectasis (BE), an often overlooked, neglected lung condition, and discusses the unrealised commercial and research potential: https://t.ly/JxDRa In the UK, BE affects about 1 in 200 adults, and its prevalence is increasing - it affects people of all ages, even children. Steven highlights the major unmet need for effective treatments or diagnostics for those with this condition. As a result, BE is often underdiagnosed and patients rely on off-label medications designed for other respiratory conditions. Without proper management, BE can lead to serious lung infections and frequent hospitalisations, which significantly reduces quality of life. We provide the crucial funding and support for researchers, charities and other organisations working in this space to help progress the development of new BE products - we are always looking for new promising projects to collaborate on! Find out more about our work in BE: https://lnkd.in/eMDiNj84

The government's manifesto included bold and positive ambitions for the UK's life sciences – especially on stimulating investment to drive improvements for patients. Similarly in May, a LifeArc-sponsored report was published on the importance of Backing Business R&D – to make sure the fundamentals of our R&D ecosystem are working as they should: https://t.ly/3Jh-r Now is the time to turn those ambitions into reality. Whether it's the availability of infrastructure, the offer of financial incentives, or the ability of regional clusters to market themselves to investors, we should be pulling on all the levers available to make the UK an easy and exciting place to invest in R&D.

The Cambridge Science Centre opened the doors of their new home in the iconic Cambridge Science Park this evening with our Chief Scientific Officer, David Powell, and Head of Academic Engagement, Andy Merritt, there for the unveiling. This centre, which LifeArc helps to fund, will focus on bringing the joy and intrigue of imaginative, interactive science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to children and families. It will provide hands-on experiences and an introduction to the wonderful world of science, as well as access to better education, future careers, and life opportunities. Read more about it: https://lnkd.in/e2tvrvKM

With Asthma Lung UK, we are raising awareness about bronchiectasis (BE), an overlooked and poorly understood lung condition. Over the next few weeks, we'll cover what BE is, why it needs attention and the research opportunities available. So what is BE? 🫁 BE is a condition in which the bronchi become abnormally dilated. This results in mucus buildup and creates an environment where bacteria can thrive and airways are blocked, resulting in infection, inflammation, further lung damage, and scarring. Despite being the third most common chronic lung condition in the UK, BE still has no approved effective treatments and diagnosis is inaccurate, long and expensive. It is often mistakenly considered a mild condition, but can lead to significant health issues and frequent hospitalisations, which can have a huge impact on quality of life. The number of people affected by BE is rising in the UK and globally - younger people and children are also increasingly diagnosed with this condition. 📈 We must recognise the growing impact of this condition and work together to increase our efforts to better understand, diagnose and treat this disease. Find out more about our work in BE: https://t.ly/BCNQe