Mayor of London proclaims new London-Japan partnership concentrating on devastating neurodegenerative illnesses

A brand new London-Japan partnership to know why devastating neurodegenerative illnesses akin to Parkinson’s or Motor Neurone Illness develop and the way they are often disrupted will probably be introduced at the moment by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson throughout his commerce mission to Japan.

The brand new partnership between Takeda Pharmaceutical Firm Restricted (TSE: 4502), Japan’s largest pharmaceutical firm, and UCL (College School London), often ranked as one of many world’s prime 10 universities, focuses on figuring out and understanding the position genes and genetic mutations play in these illnesses in order that they are often focused with simpler new remedies.

The partnership will seeTakeda and UCL scientists working aspect by aspect throughout a variety of pre-clinical drug discovery areas, together with bioinformatics, molecular biology and pharmacology. The collaboration has additionally acquired funding help from the Nationwide Institute for Well being Analysis (NIHR) College School London Hospitals Biomedical Analysis Centre.

Takeda is a serious worldwide investor in London’s life sciences business, with a improvement centre in central London in addition to a presence in different areas of England, together with its analysis website in Cambridge, which initiated the collaboration with UCL to reinforce its work to find remedies for neurodegenerative illnesses. Takeda Cambridge can also be actively researching novel therapies in a number of therapeutic areas

The announcement coincides with a brand new report from PwC’s Technique& launched right now which exhibits that Japan is the second largest abroad investor within the life sciences sector of England’s higher south east area, with £160m invested during the last 10 years. The report, which is predicated on interviews with senior figures in 9 main Japanese pharmaceutical corporations, finds that the highest causes cited for the area’s reputation is the presence of worldwide expertise and prime universities, its robust ecosystem of huge and small corporations, and its beneficial enterprise setting, from labour legal guidelines to mental property.

Learn the complete report right here: http://medcityrb.staging.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Collaborating-for-success.pdf

The partnership and report are unveiled by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson at BioJapan, Asia’s main biotechnology occasion, attracting hundreds of representatives from some 700 of the world’s main bioscience corporations yearly. He’ll give the keynote speech on the opening night time networking reception and rejoice the world-leading life sciences sector of London and the larger south east – house to 1,896 life sciences corporations producing £16.6 billion yearly and using 62,855 individuals UK-wide.*

The Mayor is joined at BioJapan by MedCity, an organisation that he launched in April 2014 to advertise and lead the expansion of the world-leading life sciences cluster of London and the higher south east.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson stated:

“London is a world-leading scientific metropolis with a number of the biggest universities on the earth, on the very forefront of the drive to know horrible, life-altering illnesses and the way they are often stopped. Working with international companions is an important a part of turning analysis breakthroughs into higher remedies, and I’m completely delighted that Takeda is deepening its dedication to London by way of this partnership.”

Dr. Tetsuyuki Maruyama, Basic Supervisor of Takeda’s Pharmaceutical Analysis Division, stated:

“At Takeda, we work with companions to speed up innovation. We’re wanting ahead to collaborating with UCL’s world-class researchers. This cooperation will assist us to determine and validate novel therapeutic pathways in central nervous system illnesses, which is one in every of Takeda’s core therapeutic areas – finally resulting in new remedies for sufferers affected by neurodegenerative issues.”

UCL’s settlement with Takeda enhances its alliance with Japanese pharmaceutical firm Eisai, launched three years in the past to develop new methods of treating neurological illnesses resembling Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

UCL President & Provost Professor Michael Arthur stated:

“Our alliance with Eisai was an important step in UCL’s drive to develop new therapies for neurodegeneration. This drive is mirrored in different fields of analysis and is exemplified by the collaborative nature of UCL’s analysis, notably in partnering with business. This partnership between UCL and Takeda is a really thrilling improvement. UCL has an extended and profitable monitor report of working with corporations in Japan and we’re eager to construct on this additional throughout all areas of analysis.”

MedCity will use its presence at BioJapan to launch a serious new drive to advertise cell remedy collaborations between the UK and Japan, in partnership with London & Companions and the GREAT Britain marketing campaign**.

The marketing campaign features a new report and video showcasing the excellence of London and the Higher South East in cell remedy and regenerative drugs, with contributions from corporations together with Takeda and Pfizer, analysis centres together with Oxford and Cambridge universities, Osaka College, College School London, King’s School London and the Cell Remedy Catapult, and UK Minister for Life Sciences George Freeman.

Dr Eliot Forster, Government Chair of MedCity, says:

“I’m completely delighted to be bringing a few of our most enjoyable biotechs to Japan to showcase the revolutionary, numerous ways in which cell therapies are being developed and commercialised within the UK. With Japan additionally having such a robust monitor report and dedication to this subject, there are large alternatives for us to work collectively to fast-track a probably game-changing new science.”