Finding New Options For Patients With Heart And Blood Conditions

Who do we partner with?

In August 2018, we entered into collaboration with Haplogen, a Vienna-based biotechnology company, to identify and develop new ways of treating pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Finding solutions for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

You might know COPD colloquially as “smoker’s cough” as it is associated with a cough most often caused by smoking or in patients who have been frequently exposed to other kinds of smoke. COPD patients are vulnerable to something called “COPD exacerbations”, which is a sudden worsening of symptoms which lasts for several days and causes damage to the lungs.

COPD exacerbations can be brought on when the patient contracts a viral respiratory infection. In this case, one possible treatment approach is to stop the virus from replicating itself. The goal of our research alliance with Haplogen is to develop new compounds to stop the virus multiplying and thereby reducing serious COPD exacerbations for patients who currently have limited options.

Who do we partner with?

In 2016, we began our collaboration with Evotec to look into ways to treat kidney diseases such as chronic kidney disease in diabetes patients. We also partner with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, Tennessee, to fight kidney diseases. This collaboration does not focus on any particular kidney disease; the scope of the research projects is broad and includes looking into progression of chronic kidney disease and diabetic kidney disease.

Finding solutions for patients with diabetic kidney disease

In chronic kidney disease, the kidneys progressively lose their ability to function over a period of months to years. As the kidney function deteriorates, this leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) where patients eventually have to undergo dialysis or kidney transplants. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most frequent complications of diabetes, with around 40 per cent of Type 2 diabetes patients developing diabetic kidney disease⁶. Diabetes is also the most common cause of ESRD. DKD patients have a higher risk of cardiovascular events compared to patients with type 2 diabetes alone. Our collaboration with Evotec here is a significant joint effort to try and tackle kidney diseases, especially in patients who are also diabetic.

Who do we partner with?

In 2015, we entered into collaboration with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard on cardiovascular genomics and drug discovery. More recently, in June 2018, we launched a joint Precision Cardiology Laboratory together with the Broad Institute which is located at their premises in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The latter project is focused on better understanding how cardiovascular diseases affect the function of the body on a cellular and molecular level and to derive therapies through novel technologies.

Finding solutions for cardiovascular patients by looking at genetics

In our cardiogenomics partnership with the Broad Institute, we are looking to use insights gained from human genetics to help create new cardiovascular therapies. While the majority of cardiovascular disease can be attributed to lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, diet and level of physical activity, some genes can influence if someone is predisposed to cardiovascular diseases. If we can discover genes and mutational changes underlying cardiovascular disorders, we may be able to develop new therapies and diagnostic options for these diseases.

Finding solutions for patients with heart failure, atrial fibrillation and vascular dysfunction

The research carried out in the joint Precision Cardiology Laboratory will focus primarily on patients with heart failure, atrial fibrillation and vascular dysfunction. By using tissue samples from both healthy individuals and people with cardiovascular diseases, the researchers have stronger ability to map out cells and tissues, providing greater insight into such diseases and the types of innovations we can create to provide options for patients.