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UCB, in Belgium, is partnering with the British company Epilepsy Society to find treatments for people with the disease, but not responding to current treatments.
The five – million – dollar, five – year collaboration was announced on Monday on the occasion of the International Day of Epilepsy.
UCB and the Epilepsy Society wish to use whole genome sequencing to better understand the genetic components of epilepsy and predict treatment responses.
The collaboration will also use data badysis, such as machine learning approaches and the badysis of genetic biomarkers.
Epilepsy affects more than half a million people in the UK, but only 52% of people with this disease in the UK do not experience seizures.
It is estimated that with good treatment, the majority of people with epilepsy (70%) might not have seizures.
The first phases of the collaboration will focus on generating and badyzing individual categories of data that play a role in determining a potential drug response, with an initial focus on the role of genetics. In later phases, the focus will be on integrating different types of datasets and understanding how they work together.
In this way, it is hoped to build a more complete picture of the factors of resistance to treatment, which will explore ways to predict and treat it.
The clinical data will be reported by the Chalfont Center of the Epilepsy Society in Buckinghamshire, which provides tertiary care to people with the most serious and uncontrolled diseases.
UCB's investments in the collaboration are part of the pharmaceutical company's broader commitment to the UK life sciences sector.
This announcement follows UCB's decision to invest GBP 1 billion in the UK Life Sciences sector over the next five years, including its new Slough based research and development site in the UK. Berkshire.
UCB's focus on genomics is part of NHS England's ten-year plan, which also highlights the fact that this is a key area for investment.
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