Expressions of interest are invited from industry partners to develop and launch the recently announced Neurodegeneration Initiative (NI), which is part of the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission.
Launched in 2022, the Mission is led by the Office for Life Sciences, in partnership with and co-funded by the Medical Research Council, Innovate UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Medicines Discovery Catapult is a delivery partner for the set-up of the NI.
There is an urgent need to accelerate approvals for new treatments. The Mission addresses the pressing needs of patients and industry by leveraging the UK’s world-leading position in dementia research. It aims to improve access to innovative medicines, increase trial recruitment, and improve early identification by developing a range of validated biomarkers.
The NI is the operational core of the Dementia Mission: a public-private partnership that unites industry, public funders and academia. It will establish a managed portfolio of R&D programmes drawing on existing high quality UK capabilities and infrastructure and international R&D networks.
The NI will provide the strategic coordination platform for investment in the Mission’s initiatives, enabling pre-competitive research and pre-market innovation in partnership, shaping discussions and resourcing joint decisions. Responding to the rapidly evolving needs of industry and the demands of patients and their carers is a key part of its remit.
By responding to the expression of interest, eligible participants will be able to further shape the scope and objectives of the Mission. Co-investment allows industry to shape the course of dementia R&D, with access to global leadership in dementia science and the assets of UK innovators.
For more information, eligibility criteria, and to submit an expression of interest, please visit md.catapult.org.uk/dementia-mission-ni. The closing date for submissions is Thursday, 12 September 2024 at 5 pm.
