Oxford University to develop Alzheimer’s disease treatments with Exscientia

The Alzheimer’s Research UK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute (ARUK-ODDI) has announced a partnership with AI drug discovery company Exscientia on the development of therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.

The collaboration will focus on the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which has been shown to play a key role in Alzheimer’s pathogenesis.

Exscientia will use its AI-driven technology to generate novel clinical assets targeting this pathway. This will build on years of research by the ARUK-ODDI, which has identified chemical starting points that modulate NLRP3 inflammasome formation.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Exscientia. Their state-of-the-art AI capabilities will enable us to investigate multiple molecules in parallel and accelerate the project towards candidate declaration,” said John Davis, chief scientific officer of the ARUK-ODDI.

“Human genetic variation points towards a critical role for the body’s immune system in an individual’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. It is vital that we develop treatments that target neuroinflammatory mechanisms underlying dementia,” he added.

“Scientist’s at our ARUK-Oxford Drug Discovery Institute are ideally placed to capitalise on the latest discoveries and work with partners to help translate this into drugs that could be tested in clinical trials. With nearly one million people in the UK living with dementia, there isn’t a moment to waste,” commented Sara Imarisio, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK.