Launching: £2m collaboration with Eisai to accelerate dementia research

Together with Eisai, we're thrilled to launch a joint collaboration to support the advancement in dementia research. This first-of-its-kind industry collaboration for the UK DRI aims to deliver innovative research that translates into improvements in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all types of dementia. 

To combat the global challenge of dementia, the UK DRI draws together world-leading expertise into a single national institute that conducts research into all aspects of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, and Huntington’s disease. 

“Eisai is delighted to initiate this joint programme with the UK Dementia Research Institute, bringing new ideas and cutting-edge science to the significant challenge of dementia,” said Dr Andy Takle, Executive Director and Head, Eisai Hatfield Research Laboratories. 

Researchers will benefit from both the UK DRI’s state-of-the-art research facilities and Eisai’s drug discovery and translational expertise, and will support the work of the UK DRI in striving to elucidate novel drug discovery targets and mechanisms, develop new dementia models, and accelerate the linkage of these research results to diagnostics, treatment and care. 

Dr Adrian Ivinson, UK DRI Director and COO, said: “This collaboration is a wonderful example of the UK DRI’s desire to work with industry for the greater good of dementia science and patient outcomes. We are grateful for the investment and partnership of Eisai, and indeed for the work of all the dedicated researchers trying to move to new frontiers in addressing dementia.” 

Eisai has been conducting research on neurodegenerative diseases in the UK since 1990. In 2012 the company began a research collaboration with University College London (UCL) which will run until 2023, and was established as part of the company’s ‘Open Innovation’ strategy to collaborate with leading researchers and translate new research findings into innovative treatments for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Applications 

Request for proposals were announced on 20 May 2019 internally to UK DRI programme leads, and we look forward to receiving applications by 19 July 2019.

The programme aims to fund six post-doc positions each lasting three years. 

Proposals received from across the growing UK DRI community will be assessed and funding decisions made by a joint UK DRI and Eisai committee, with recipients announced at the end of August 2019.